


The Bounty

by SonicoSenpai



Series: Dark and Triggering Shit [4]
Category: Lamento -BEYOND THE VOID-
Genre: Alternate Universe, Bathing/Washing, Bounty Hunters, Bratting, Broken Bones, Consensual spanking, Discipline, Dom/sub Undertones, Enemies to Lovers, Escape, Failed escape, First Time, First Time Blow Jobs, I mean it this time, Injury, Konoe is the bounty, LOTS of violence, M/M, Makeup Sex, Master/Slave, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Medical Examination, Medical Trauma, Medication Issues, No Aftercare, No Curse, Non-Consensual Touching, Non-con spanking, Not Canon Compliant, Not Safe Sane and Consensual, Not for the faint of heart, Orgasm Delay/Denial, Public Claiming, Public Humiliation, Public Punishment, Punishment, Rai is a bounty hunter, Rape/Non-con Elements, Spanking, Stockholm Syndrome, Teasing, Threats, Toxic Relationships, Whipping, after Leaks, bounty hunters who fuck their bounty, consider yourself warned, damn my head is killing me, dub con spanking, even for the N+C world, just dirty shit, non-con turned dub con turned con, non-con turned dub-con, not fluffy, scruffing, therapeutic writing, unrealistic, very non-con, will add tags as I go along
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-07
Updated: 2019-07-23
Packaged: 2019-10-05 17:17:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 12
Words: 56,218
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17329181
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SonicoSenpai/pseuds/SonicoSenpai
Summary: So Konoe is marked for a bounty after running from his home village of Karou. He doesn’t want to be the cat sacrificed to the gods of his village. However, he is caught by a powerful bounty hunter the evening of his escape—while running to Ransen. The hunter is odd—treating him with violence and cruelty, humiliating him at every turn—and yet... there’s something about him that pulls on his heartstrings just the same.*This is a pretty dark and dirty fiction. Just... reader beware.*





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Really, this fic is a save-myself-from-suffering one. If you’re into my stuff for fluff, skip this one. This is not going to be fluffy. This is just mean, mean, mean. And probably poorly tagged.
> 
> *Update: It has its fluffy moments, all right. I can't help it if Rai is fluffy at times. But he is really mean in this fiction. He's a bounty hunter. And Konoe is a BRAT.

Just when I thought I’d escaped my home without consequence, I am caught in a trap.

It’s a net. 

I would have guessed it was an animal trap, but it’s sized for an animal close in size to me, which frightens the hell out of me. This means either there’s an animal close to my size roaming the forest or someone is looking to trap a cat.

I’d been wandering through the woods, unable to find my way—running from my village of Karou because I was next on their list of being sacrificed. Despite the food shortage no longer being a problem, my village still sacrifices a cat twice per year. The elder says it’s to “appease the gods.” So why did they choose me? Because I’m an orphan with good land to my name that others want to claim for themselves!

Of course, I ran—taking what little money I had, my father’s silver ring,  a poem he wrote but I can’t read, and my sword. I was hoping to make it to the large city of Ransen and find my friend Tokino, but now, it looks like I will be delayed. I’ve been strung up in a net, about 20 feet off the ground, currently hanging upside down. Even if I could reach my sword or cut through the rope with my claws, I’d be severely injured by the fall.

I’ve been hanging in this trap for hours—I'm hungry and tired, and also terribly frightened. What if this trap belongs to some crazy bandits who are still looking for young fresh meat, or worse, selling slaves? I don’t know what to do except wait.

When the moon of light turns to dusk, I hear soft footsteps—a huge stride—in the forest below. It’s only one set, thankfully, but the length of the stride makes my ears twitch. The creature is approaching me from behind, and I cannot see anything, so I am even more terrified. My body starts to tremble—I mean, his gait is longer than anything I’ve ever heard or recognize as familiar, so I don’t know how to respond.

“It looks like one of my traps bore fruit,” a low voice purrs. It’s not an unpleasant voice—but it’s very low, and I cannot see who it belongs to. I don’t move a muscle. “You look most uncomfortable up there. If I let you down, will you behave for me?”

I don’t respond.

“Kitten, I asked you a direct question. Haven’t you learned to reply when your elders ask you a question? Anything else is quite rude.”

“Please, let me down. I’m dizzy,” I murmur in soft reply.

“Much better,” and the voice takes on a wonderful quality when he praises me for my response. It’s quite a lovely voice—though still terrifying.

I am lowered to the ground—in slow, jerky movements—via the pulleys that snapped me up in the first place. My head should be the first to hit the ground, but it doesn’t. Instead, I’m lowered into the arms of the creature who has been speaking. The first thing I notice is his pleasant scent—leather and something else clean and fresh—like freshly fallen snow or rain. 

It’s not a monster or a demon—it’s a giant cat. I see the black and blue slim-fitting leather of his clothing first—silver buckles that attach sword scabbards—and he wears two, one on each broad shoulder—a whip curled up at one hip and plain rope on the other, a black cape with three buckles, and long cascading silver hair that floats in straight, layered strands down to his waist. 

When I have a chance to glance at his face, I see he is wearing a black eyepatch over his right eye, but the other is a clear, pale blue, framed with long, thick eyelashes. His ears are small and rounded, covered in long, plush fur. And his face is quite handsome, especially with his rather full lips currently curved up at the corners in a smile.

“You’re much younger than I expected. It’s probably a good thing I didn’t kill you off the bat.” 

His comment is murmured so casually I hardly know how to respond—except that it sends a chill down my spine.

“K-kill me?” Why is this giant cat out to get me in particular?

“You are Konoe, the Karou kitten, aren’t you?” The fact he knows my name sends another shiver through my body, which he noticed, and he widens his grin, showing off huge white fangs. 

“What’s it to you?” I ask, still covered in the net, but realizing I can tear it off now without further consequence. I won’t fall very far, at least.

“You’re my bounty.”

“B-bounty?” I ask—and another shudder rushes through me. “M-my v-village put a bounty out on m-me?” I begin subtly working the ropes off with my claws—cutting through one after the other. This cat is frightening, as he looks carefully at my face—and I notice his gaze skates down my body as well.

“They most certainly did,” the bounty hunter replies. “You have been quite lucky so far, not to have fallen into any other traps.”

“Lucky?!” I spit. “ _None_ of this is lucky!”

The silver cat chuckles lightly. 

“Getting caught in a trap is uncomfortable but not deadly. Now, behave yourself for a moment and I will help you get out of this mess—” 

But before he can finish, I’ve already managed to do just that. I don’t take kindly to being held so intimately by a complete stranger! I’m _not_ into that—no matter how attractive this insane bounty hunter might be! As soon as I free my claws, I take no time to think before swiping at his perfect face—which he barely manages to dodge—but I get his neck, and he drops me, a small puff of air escaping from his lips in surprise.

I make a break for the trees and run as fast as I can, hoping I can outrun his giant stride.

However—I am not successful. I don’t even manage to get into the trees before I feel his hands grabbing at me—hot breath huffing down my neck in an almost amused fashion, much to my annoyance.

My tail is grabbed swiftly and pulled, and I scream in pain.

Of course, I can’t continue running with my tail in his grip—and I trip over my own feet and am pulled right back into his broad chest.

“What a little _brat_! And after you said you’d _behave_ for me!” His voice is now low and growling—and I am terrified. I try scratching at him again but my wrists are easily pinned behind my body, and he stares down at my face. “Perhaps a small _lesson_ is in order.” 

“L-lesson?” I whimper. “I-I was a-afraid! I-I c-can’t g-go b-back to K-Karou!” I kick my legs and my tail is pulled roughly, as he drags me back to the place where I was originally strung up in the net. “I-i w-will n-not b-be the n-next s-sacrifice!” I am shouting my lungs out.

“Regardless, you will not run from me again. Nor will I see these adorable but sharp little claws of yours,” he growls again—and the sound makes my fur bristle.

I am turned away from him for a moment and I feel rope twined around my wrists which are roughly pulled up over my head—and I start kicking my feet.

“Stop! Let go!” My stammer is gone—but I will not be tied up like some animal. “Untie me! Unhand me!” I’m growling and hissing.

“You _will_ obey me—to the letter—when I tell you to do something—for as long as you are in my company. Or you will suffer the consequences.”

“C-consequences?!” I snarl—but my wrists are tied to the pulley that net was just attached to and lifted up even higher overhead. My feet are barely touching the ground, but I am facing away from the hunter, so I can’t see what he is doing. The forest’s green scent floods my nostrils in a strange way that it hasn’t before—probably because of my heightened sense of awareness and fear. 

Then—I feel his hands on my hips, amazingly going right for my belt. I look down at my waist, and his large black gloved hands—one holding that terrifying whip—are unbuckling my belt and quickly unbuttoning and unzipping my pants.

“Uwaa! Stop! What are you _doing_?!” I cry desperately. Fear floods my body, making the base of my tail stiffen, and I can feel my face fill with blood which rushes into my ears.

“It should be obvious, shouldn’t it? You’re about to learn the consequences of disobedience, Konoe of Karou. Although, even I feel a little sorry for you when I see your ears blush so prettily,” he murmurs, stepping a little closer to me, brushing the tips of my ears. “Am I right to assume no one has touched you like this before? Your response is so _delightfully_ innocent.” 

My pants and underwear are pulled down roughly—all in one movement—and I feel gloved hands caressing my ass—tracing my now naked hips, then right along the space where my thighs and butt meet. 

“You have such a pert little behind. I almost regret that I have to punish it,” he whispers into my ear and then nips the tip—I’ve never felt so humiliated in my life. I can do nothing to hide or defend myself, and my tail whips around uselessly. I tilt my head, trying to escape the touch of his mouth against my ear, but of course, I can’t.

Humiliated tears burn the corners of my eyes when he separates his body from mine, though he keeps those hands on me for an awfully extended time—and a cool breeze washes over my skin, making me feel even more naked than I am, cooling my burning cheeks and my ears. I can’t even kick my legs because of how he’s pulled down my clothes—trapping me in my own trousers. I feel so _helpless_!

Then, once he removes his hands from me, I hear the crack of the whip—and it makes my fur bristle and my ears flick backward. When it makes contact with my skin, it takes a surprisingly long moment for the pain to register. However, when it does—I scream. It feels like the whip has taken a small amount of my skin along with it, flaying it from my body.

Of course, it hasn’t. It just hurts—terribly—and I cry out loud. I also wonder—after hearing myself scream at the second and third cracks of the whip—how much is from pain and how much is the humiliation of being exposed naked in front of a cat I don’t even know.

By the fifth crack—which hits the fleshy part of my thighs at the very top where my ass and thighs meet—I’m unable to stand. My knees buckle, and I am crying and begging, for him to stop, _please_ _stop_! I will do anything, just _please_ , stop! 

I feel a soft, cool touch on my skin then—his gloves are running over the injured skin, I’m sure it must be welted severely. The gentle touch feels so strange and surprising, weirdly welcome—almost... _exciting_ my body after the pain he was just inflicting. It’s rather shocking. I think I’m whispering—still begging and pleading—and thanking him for stopping that punishment. It was _excruciating_.

“You seem to respond rather well to physical reinforcement,” he murmurs softly. “You won’t run from me again, will you?”

I shake my head. “No—never—I-I’m sorry—I-I’m s-so s-sorry!” I hiccup through my sobs.

“Good. I’m glad we have this understanding. Perhaps this is enough for your first time. If there is a next time, your punishment will be much worse.” His voice whispers low in my ear.

“I will n-not d-disobey. I p-promise. Th-Thank you, s-sir,” I blubber, hanging my head. I’ve even mostly forgotten the shame of being exposed. His hair is tickling me from behind, and I feel my restraints loosen, and my body starts to lower back toward the earth.

“Rai. My name is Rai.” 

My body nearly collapses to the ground—or it would if he didn’t catch me. He hoists me up over his shoulder—keeping my welted ass exposed to the air, which probably feels better than it would if I had fabric covering it. I wish I could rub myself, touch it, do _something_ —but my hands are still bound with rope and are now hanging over my head as he carries me. I’m pressed intimately against his body, and I smell that strange leather and fresh scent again—it’s in his hair, too.

“Let’s head back to my camp for the night,” he murmurs softly. “It’s been a long day.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Konoe is restrained and dragged back to the bounty hunter’s camp for the night after his first rather painful lesson in discipline. Rai is very strict, the younger cat learns, when he tries to move away from the fire and put his clothes back on, the hunter further asserts his dominance.
> 
> Trigger: non-con spanking, nudity, groping, grooming, licking. Let the games begin!
> 
> Really, this is not a fluffy story, so if how I fucked around with consent bothers you in, say, Siren, you are really not going to like this one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bad pain day. Writing helps.

The bounty hunter—who introduced himself as Rai—has set up a campsite, which is where we end up. It’s basically where he has set up a covered place to sleep (a tarp stretched over some trees) and fire, which he starts build right away, as soon as he puts me down. He places me much closer than I’d prefer.

I hate fire with a passion, plus I’m still pretty vulnerable: I’m still half naked with my hands tied in front of me, the welts on my ass are stinging—though he has set me on top of his cape. As subtly as possible, I struggle with my pants while he stokes the flames, but I hesitate to squirm much further away for fear he may think I’m trying to escape. However, once the flames really start going—yes, it’s autumn and chilly, but still, I don’t _want_ to be this close, and my body certainly doesn’t appreciate being so close to open flame—it’s way too close for my comfort.

Lying down, I manage to wiggle my pants back up over my hips, hissing softly when they touch my skin—and my underwear is pulling in all the wrong places since I can’t reach properly, but there’s no way in hell I am asking him for help. I squirm around a little more trying to straighten myself out, and I still can’t button or zip my pants, and damn it, my hips are just too _wide_. I rest for a moment—and then the crackling flames send shivers down my spine into my tail. I can’t resist rolling away from the fire. I hear the silver cat clear his throat, and I look up, noticing his tail for the first time, flicking back and forth almost mischievously. It’s so different than mine—he has long fur, bushy and thick, and the length is much greater than mine, too. Plus, his tail is perfectly straight and groomed. It’s really gorgeous, actually. 

“I thought we had come to an _agreement_ , kitten,” his low voice purrs. “Where do you think you’re going? Do we need to have another talk so soon?” 

He crouches down close to me, and I can hear him actually purring. It’s creepy—does he _want_ to whip me again? Did he _enjoy_ it? 

“N-no—I-I’m n-not t-trying t-to escape!” I stammer—especially when I see that predatory look in his eye. He is looking down at my pants, which are a mess. What the hell? Why is he looking there? 

“Did I give you permission to get dressed?”

Another shiver of fear goes through my body and my fur fluffs out in terror. 

“Wh-What?” I whisper. He wants me naked? Oh, shit. I’ve heard of cats taking advantage of each other when they are naked before, but I never thought this would happen to me.

“Were you trying to dress first, then escape?” His cool leather glove runs through the fur on my ears, which still burns with shame and fear.

“I w- _wasn’t_ —I-I j-just am a-afraid o-of f-fire—” 

“Of fire? Or of _me_?” His voice is almost musical, and he laughs. “It’s going to be chilly tonight, kitten. You haven’t spent the night out here yet, have you? And you’re nothing but skin and bones. Let’s get you something to eat. I had no idea you’d be such a troublesome little creature. Didn’t that whip hurt enough to make my point?”

“But I-I wasn’t—” I protest strongly, flattening my ears, as I watch him wander back over to another net, which he apparently brought back to the camp earlier. He’s caught some kind of large bird—a pheasant, maybe—which has thankfully already been killed and he is thinking of preparing for dinner. I've never eaten any kind of poultry before, but I hear it’s delicious.

“So you say, yet your clothes are on and you did not stay where I placed you. Such direct disobedience deserves punishment,” he says, looking over at me, the sharp blue eye glinting fiercely, and he starts plucking the bird with such rapid, practiced movements it scares the shit out of me. Is he planning to eat me for dinner, too? What the hell? 

I find myself nearly flattened into the ground while watching him, only my ears flicking and my body flinching from the sound of the fire, but I am unwilling to creep closer to the fire, try as I might. As much as I try to force my body, I cannot. The bird is stabbed onto his sword which then rests over the fire after I see him season it with something from a small pouch. 

“And you still choose to disobey? I’ve given you plenty of time to repent, little kitten, and yet you stubbornly remain where and as you are.”

I can’t move—moving closer to the fire would mean overcoming a fear more powerful than anything rational. My body refuses to obey. 

“I-i h-have a-a-always b-been a-afraid of fire,” I try to explain, hoping for mercy. 

“So let me ask you,” he starts as he gets up from the fire and comes back to where I am lying on the ground. He tilts my chin up gently so I have to meet his eye—and his hair shimmers gold under the light from the fire. I realize he is using the hilt of the whip under my chin, and I shiver again and a small pleading sound drops from my mouth. “Which is it? Which do you fear more? The fire or a second punishment?” 

“Please!” Real tears spill down my cheeks, and my entire body shudders. “I really—I c-can’t!” There is a small pause, during which the only sound is the crackling of the fire. My ears and body flinch to every snap and crackle of the flames. 

“Kitten, how in the name of _Ribika_ do you cook your food? How have you not starved to death?” Rai stares down at my face earnestly. 

“I do not cook. I eat nuts, fruit, and occasionally fish that can be eaten raw when I can find it,” I say quietly—and I’m completely ashamed. In some ways, this is _worse_ than being exposed before him earlier—for now, he knows that I cannot even cook because of my fear of fire. I feel my ears burning with shame and humiliation—but what can I do? 

“Isn’t Karou cold in the winter?”

“I use extra blankets.” I don’t meet his eye, and my voice is quiet.

“You don’t have a special someone who shares your bed and warms you up during the chilly winter months?” I take a good look at his fur—it’s long and thick, plush and full. Maybe it gets very cold where he is from. Our winters are wet with little snow. But I’m still slightly offended by his remark. I’m not _like_ that! I’d _never_ let myself be used like that. 

“Of course not. I, um, I live alone.” I can’t avoid clicking my tongue. 

“What a pretentious little sound from that pretty little mouth,” his soft purring voice says. “What—are you too _good_ to share someone’s bed? Or no one has yet offered? Perhaps you’ve never felt the need?” His tone is quiet, but it’s changing, getting sharper, more heated, and that beast-like look he’d been giving me earlier shows up on his face again. It makes my fur stand on end. “And when you fluff your fur out for me, all pretty, you only tempt me more.”

“Please—d-don’t hurt me.” Gods, my voice sounds so pathetic! 

“Afraid of fire,” he says thoughtfully. “Well then. How are you going to demonstrate your obedience?”

Demonstrate my obedience? My confusion must be showing on my face because I have no idea what he is talking about.

“I-I don’t understand—”

“You were trying to _escape_ ,” Rai replies sharply, raising his voice, lifting my chin. “You got dressed and you moved. Even if you moved because of the fire, why get dressed if I didn’t specifically allow it?”

“Y-you want me t-to u- _undress_?” My voice is shaking so fearfully and pathetically I'm ashamed of myself.

“I think that will make you think twice about running off, won’t it?” His smile widens again. “Plus it will make you easier to discipline when the need arises. And—perhaps you will learn what it means to share body heat tonight. It will be cold.” He jabs me lightly in the chin with the hilt of his whip.

Take off my clothes? In front of a stranger? He must be crazy to think I will just comply.

“I will be too c-cold—”

“I will gladly help you maintain your body temperature.” His voice purrs directly in one of my ears, making me quiver and my tail wave wantonly. 

“Y-you want me to take off my pants?”

“I want you to take off your _clothes_.” His voice remains low and calm, and it is _frightening_.

“A- _all_ my clothes?” I stammer.

“All of them.” 

“W-why?”

“I believe I told you. It will signal to me that you intend to obey me, and perhaps I won’t need to discipline you again. Now, if you refuse, I will believe you were, in fact, trying to escape. Is that why you are hesitant?”

“N-no! I w-wasn’t—”

“Then why not just obey?” His voice switches from sharp to a more silken quality, making the base of my ears tremble lightly.

He is awfully close. If he weren’t practically on top of me, I would try to escape again. 

“Y-you w-won’t d-do anything to me i-if I t-take off my clothes?” 

There’s a deep sigh—right in my ear—and I'm dragged up over the silver cat’s lap, face down. He is amazingly powerful. Another small squeaking sound comes out of me, and I feel a gloved hand slipping up the back of my shirt, which scares me.

“If I have to _assist_ you, I will assume this is an act of defiance, Konoe. You know what happens when you disobey, don’t you? I don’t mind, though. Do you need _more_?” One hand glides along my ass. 

“N-no—Please!” I beg. “Please don’t hurt me—I will obey!” And then I realize what exactly it is I’ve agreed to do. 

“Then,” his mouth is on my ear, his lips touching the inside downy fur of my ear, and his tongue nearly licking inside, “I assume you will strip for me now.” 

He pushes me to my feet. Standing before him, a blush rises from my cheeks into my ears, as he stares at me appraisingly.

“Start with your boots.” He motions for me to stand on his cape as soon as I kick off my boots. But after I pull my boots off, I can’t go seem to make my hands go further. I try toying with the tie on my cape, and I let it fall off my shoulders, and he just watches while another shiver goes through my body.

“I c-can’t really—” I motion to my hands when I move for my shirt, and he removes the rope from my wrists.

“You do _know_ there are bandits in this forest, looking for kittens just like you?” he says as he slips the rope from my wrists. I glance up at his tone. “Your age, your shape, your size, your sex, your lack of experience?”

I pull at the hem of my shirt nervously.

“If they saw you, running through the forest naked, you would have a very different life ahead of you—hell—even dressed, they’d probably catch you and auction you off to the first brothel willing to pay for you. My point is, you’ll be _much_ safer here with me.” He watches me fiddle with my shirt. “Go on. Or, do you need my help?”

“N-no—I j-just wonder if this is really n-necessary—” 

Before I can figure out what is happening, I am pulled into his lap again, and my shirt is stripped off over my head. He leaves my arms trapped in the sleeves for a moment—behind my back—and murmurs into my ear.

“Oh, too bad, it looks like you took too long. You see, in my mind, delayed obedience is disobedience.” 

“N-no—Please—I can’t anymore,” I suddenly break out in a sweat, getting very nervous, even more afraid than I was of exposing myself in front of the bounty hunter is the prospect of another whipping. My ass is still stinging from the last one and he said the next time would be worse! “ _Please_!”

“Hush now. As lovely as your begging is, save it for when the punishment actually begins.” I find myself face down in his lap once again, and now my pants are forcibly pulled from my body. The speed at which I’m stripped is rather terrifying—I’m reminded at how quickly that bird was plucked, and I’m feeling about the same.

“N-no—please don’t do this— _please_ —please...” 

A leather gloved hand wanders up and down my naked backside—all the way from my shoulders to the backs of my knees—and yet another shiver goes through me. My tail fluffs out and my back arches into his hand—and he lowers his nose to the nape of my neck, inhaling my scent. My body is doing something weird, responding to the silky touch of his hair and the gentle stroke of that leather glove—it’s an indescribable feeling and my heart starts pounding, racing so fast I’m afraid it might beat right out of my mouth.

“You smell rather delicious. It seems I came across you at just the right time.” 

I don’t understand what he means. However, at that moment, one hand is pressing my lower back down against his lap, stroking the base of my tail—and then _smack_! His other hand comes down right where my ass and thighs meet. It’s a loud sound—and the feel of leather against the soft skin—right against fresh welts—burns and stings.

“When I tell you to do something, you do it,” he murmurs in my ear. 

Tears spill from my eyes and before I can even get out a sob— _smack_! _smack_! Two more blows make me cry out loud—and my hands fly up to try to protect myself—but of course, they are firmly pinned behind my back, right at the base of my tail. My breath hitches and I yelp—and I feel a strangely soft, damp touch at the tip of my ear.

Smack-smack—also right at my sit spot, but then that soft damp touch heats up and squishes loudly—frightening me. It’s his _tongue_ , squishing into my ear, and the silver cat is purring while licking deep inside. 

This time, as before with the whip—he’s only spanked me with his hand—or rather, the leather glove—and it’s five times—but it’s not much worse, as he promised it would be. It hurt and it is somewhat mortifying, and tears fell, of course, but it wasn’t the terrifying, excruciating pain of that whip—except... he is still licking me, tonguing deep in my ear, and that is having an entirely unexpected and confusing effect.

Goosebumps travel from my right ear down my shoulder and arm, all the way down my side—and a strange gasping sound comes out of my mouth. I can’t help it! It frightens me—what he is doing—both his hands on me—but the soft leather of his gloves aren’t hitting me anymore, and the touch feels so... _good_! 

It must be because of all the blood pooling in my lower half, but I realize that I’m actually hard after he spanked me—or is it because he is licking me? But between the painful spanks that still tingle slightly on my skin and the feel of those cool gloves against my hot body... I’m so confused.

“N-no—p-please—d-don’t,” I hear myself begging. 

And that deep purr in my ear lowers even more into a darker sound—like a growl. No. Not _like_ a growl. It _is_ a growl. I’m terrified of the sound—and my body is trembling.

“I warned you—if you disobeyed me a second time, your punishment would be much worse, didn’t I?” And he continues licking me and I can feel his soft, velvety lips on the outside of my ear, even as I try to squirm out of reach. To my utter mortification, my body is responding in an awfully unexpected way—I’m no longer just half-hard, but I’m, well, _all_ the way there, and I know he can tell since I’m being pressed against his lap. 

Is this what he meant—by _punishment_? Those gloved hands are slipping up and down my naked body now—over my hips and ass, my legs, even slipping in between them, tugging softly on my tail, and his tongue switches to my other ear. I gasp in spite of myself and to my shock, a purr comes out of my mouth, which I try to bring my hands up to cover. But he won’t let my hands go! Instead, I end up desperately pushing my mouth on his thigh—which somehow is even more embarrassing.

“You’re so cute.” The words make my ears twitch, and a shudder runs through my body. “As well as responsive. Listen to you, purring so loud and eager against my leg—makes me feel like you _want_ something from me.”

“N-no,” I whimper softly—as desperate sounding as he makes me out to be. 

“Let’s get you some food first, and then I’ll show you the joys of warming another cat’s bed.” He helps me to my feet—wrapping that cape around me, buckling it at my neck. It reaches down to my knees. “Now—will you behave and eat for me, or will I need to restrain you?”

I’m so embarrassed I could die—never has my body done something like this to betray me—and why, of all people, would it be reacting like this to _this_ cat? This cruel bounty hunter? He still looks like he wants to devour me. 

My chin is suddenly sharply pulled up, and that pale blue eye glares down at me hungrily.

“I just asked you a question. I hate having to repeat myself. You _aren’t_ a very fast learner, are you, kitten?”

“Ah—um—I-I’m s-sorry,” I stammer, feeling myself being pulled close—his hand right on my ass, sneaking up under the cape.

“You make me want to take my gloves off—your skin looks dangerously smooth.”

 _Shit_! What was the question?! That comment flustered me so much in forgot his question! I think he’s talking about my ass—he wants to—

He gives me another sharp spank, and I yelp loudly, but no tears come this time.

“I-i am s-sorry—i-i—f-forgot the question,” I mumble softly, timid and embarrassed. 

There’s a small chuckle and he smiles at me—I see his teeth up close, again.

“I asked, are you going to behave for me during dinner or do I need to restrain you?”

“B-be-behave,” I say, casting my glance down and my ass is squeezed lightly. I wish I could at least put on some underwear. “M-may I pl-please have s-some cl-clothing—” but I don’t get to finish, because my chin is tilted sharply in the direction of that gaze again.

“Kitten. You are in this position now because you didn’t obey. So why not just try and obey for once?” 

I look down, defeated, but my chin is lifted again, almost yanked—hard. It surprises me and a gasp comes out of my mouth.

“I require an audible response.” 

“Oh, um, yes, sir, I am s-sorry, sir.” 

“It’s Rai. Just Rai.” He drops my chin and pulls me toward the fire. He sits down and pulls me into his lap—and I can tell he is still excited from messing around with me earlier—or else, he _really_ likes spanking me, which scares me to death.

He pulls the bird off the fire—and it smells good. My mouth waters—I am ridiculously hungry—I haven’t eaten in almost two days, due to not carrying much with me and getting caught in his trap. I really hope he intends to share with me.

He tears off a drumstick and gives it to me, along with a piece of fresh fruit—it looks, of all things, like a kuim. The meat is still very hot, the juice burns my fingers, so I eat the fruit first and it’s delicious. I hardly know what to do with myself I’m so hungry.

The meat—it’s delicious. I’ve never had anything like it, though before mom died, I’m sure we had meals like this. I just don’t remember. I rarely get meat since I can’t cook it—and this is wonderful. 

Another purr floats up from my chest—this one warm and content—not that raw, wet, sexual sounding purr I was making earlier. I’m sure this is just contentment—pleasure from having food in my belly and a warm meal at that. Rai also serves me something to drink from a flask. It’s some sort of sweet ale that tastes like kuim. It’s good. I drink a lot of it—perhaps more than I was invited to drink—and it makes me feel sleepy.

Before he finishes his meal, I’ve dropped off to sleep, dressed in not a stitch of clothing except his black cape, smelling of leather and that other strange fresh scent—in the lap of a bounty hunter. Not just any hunter, either: this one has stripped me, humiliated me, whipped me, spanked me, then felt me up and licked my ears, making my body feel weird. Now, he’s fed me till I can’t eat another bite, and I feel slightly drunk with the alcoholic beverage I drank too much of, as well.

There is something wrong with this. Just a little over two hours ago, I was strung up in that net—and after that—I was whipped for trying to escape. Now I can feel his fingers running through the fur on my ears and also, much more lightly, the still fluffy fur on my tail. 

I think I hear that hypnotic voice returning my purr, and feel his tongue grooming my ears much more gently than before. It feels _good_ , too. Weirdly _good_.

“Look at this. A kitten with a lucky tail. How much more my type could you possibly be, hmm, little one?”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let the Stockholm syndrome begin!
> 
> A really long chapter with a blow job and sex—non-consensual, at least to start, and also, considering Konoe’s situation, to finish as well. Not exactly violent, however, but still—beware this isn’t a fiction suited for everyone.
> 
> And yay—an update—crappy editing, but I want to just post the damn thing.

When I wake, it’s completely dark and I have no idea where I am. It’s pitch black, and my eyes take a few moments to adjust. I can usually at least see the moon of shadow, but for some reason, I can’t even see that tonight, which is why it’s taking so much longer for my less-than-sharp eyes to adjust.

Also, I’m very warm, surrounded by a heavy blanket that smells different from any of my belongings. And then I remember I’m not at home. That’s right: I was chased from my village. As my fuzzy thoughts start to clear, I start to remember where I am. The last thing I remember is filling my belly with that delicious warm meal, unlike anything I can remember eating in recent years. To my horror, I remember snuggling up on the bounty hunter’s lap and allowing him to stroke my ears gently—well, I didn’t _allow_ anything, really—I had no say at all—and I think I drifted off to sleep right there.

After all the humiliation he made me suffer?! How could I do such a thing? It must have been that ale—was it alcoholic? Is that why I felt so tired? Is that why I still feel so groggy? Maybe I was dehydrated from my tears? And then to my dismay, I realize despite my warmth I’m still completely naked. I’m not even wearing the cape I was dressed in last night—I have not a stitch of clothing on, and it’s because...

My ears heat up thinking about it. It wasn’t even the spanking—though I easily remember the feel of cool leather against my skin, and I swallow thickly. It was how _aroused_ I became despitethe pain, or worse, maybe  _because_ of it. I mean, he was touching me afterward—running his hands along my body—but is _that_ what I enjoyed so much? And why does it have to be _him_? 

Apparently, I don’t know my own body. But here I am, and the blanket surrounding me is _not_ actually a blanket. It’s the body of the bounty hunter, curled around me. He’s stripped off his shirt and belts, it seems, and so his skin warms my back, and his arms are wrapped tightly around me—one around my chest and one around my waist. A smaller blanket is covering my hips, I think—no, wait—perhaps that is his tail? It’s soft and fluffy, wrapped loosely around my middle, almost protectively—and his fur is even silkier than it looks. I touch it softly, trying not to wake him, running my fingers through the long strands of fur, so different from my own, and the end flicks slightly, startling me. He must have moved it in his sleep.

But why is he holding me so tightly? Is this what he meant when he said I would be warming his bed?

In all honesty, I didn’t think he meant it in such a literal sense—and I am both relieved and also slightly concerned, wondering if what _I_ expected might actually be coming later. My breathing picks up, and my heart thumps loudly, a shiver rushing through my body. Am I afraid or am I anticipating something? I would trust that I was feeling fear if all that blood would _stop_ pooling in my groin, damn it! I squirm a little, trying to get him to loosen his iron grip, but he doesn’t move even an inch, and I start to feel stifled and panicky, though I try to breathe deeply and relax.

“Are you awake?” His mouth is so close to my ear, and he speaks quietly but so suddenly that it makes me jump. I was sure he was still asleep, and I’m pissed that my movement has woken him. I’m in for it now! He chuckles lightly. “You are the perfect little heat source for me. I should keep you with me for the rest of the winter.”

His breath and lips tickle my ears, making them twitch and making me shudder, and he chuckles again. I can’t prevent my body from trying to squirm out of his grasp, but he refuses to let me go.

“P-please, this is t-too tight,” I complain softly, and the tip of my ear is nipped. 

“If you think _this_ is too tight, you’re in for quite a surprise.”

I can feel him smiling—I don’t know if I can tell from the shape of his mouth, the curve of his lips against my ear, or the tone of his voice, but I swallow my fear—and it’s unsuccessful. He turns my body around and pins me to the ground. My back isn’t pressed against the grass or dirt, however—I seem to be sleeping on a blanket. But having him above me, staring down at me, frightens me, especially as my eyes get used to the dark. Silver hair drips around his shoulders and brushes against my chest. My ears flatten and my fur bristles—and I feel the low rumble of a growl in my throat.

“What’s this? Are you resisting?” Both my hands are pinned to the ground above my head, and I bare my fangs. His fangs sparkle in the dim light—terrifying and sharp—much bigger than mine—and my ears twitch again when I hear a distinct purr from him. He is smiling at me. 

The index finger of the hand not restraining my wrists reaches out and brushes the tips of my canines—and I’m ashamed I can’t do anything to escape or fight him off. When his finger dives in deeper into my mouth, pressing against my tongue and then feeling the side of my cheek, I whine, tempted to snap my jaw shut.

“Don’t even _think_ about biting, kitten.” Low, even, and calm—that voice over top of his purr is much more frightening than a growl.

“ _Please_ ,” I whisper around the finger in my mouth, tears burning the corners of my eyes. I’m already begging again. “Please—don’t hurt me—”

“Hurting you is the last thing on my mind—but you are too tense. I will end up hurting you if you don’t relax a little.” 

Uwaa! I’m scared—and I turn my face away, feeling several tears slip out of my eyes when I squeeze them closed for a moment. His hand moves from my mouth to stroke my lips and cheek.

“Tears?” I see his fluffy white tail bristle over his shoulder as he tilts his head, his fangs still showing over his lips, a slight smirk on his face. “I’ve barely touched you.”

He runs his hand down my chest, making me keenly aware of how little I am wearing. Another strange shiver rushes through my body and I growl again. 

“Get off!”

“Oh, I’m about to. You’re pretty cute when you’re all riled up.” My ears perk up at his words and fear rushes through me like a bucket of ice water poured over my head. Is he planning to do what I think he is planning?

“What are you—?” 

“Why don’t you just relax and enjoy yourself? I said I wouldn’t hurt you. Close your eyes.” His hand sweeps down over my eyelids, but I open them again right away. “Hmph. You’re not very compliant. Do you require a little reminder?”

“Reminder?” I echo. 

“Yes—a _physical_ reminder to obey me. I’m not making a request. When I tell you to do something, it’s not a suggestion.”

“Ah—oh, n-no!” I stammer. What did he want me to do again? I can’t remember. “I-I’m just afraid. I’m s-sorry. Wh-what d-did you w-want m-me t-to d-do?”

“I asked you to close your eyes. You have beautiful eyes, and I’d love to see them, but I think you’d be able to relax more if you’d close them for a while,” he whispers. “Don’t worry. I’m not going to hurt you— _if_ you do as I ask.”

“I-I w-will d-do as you a-ask!” I say, squeezing my eyes closed and pulling my hands up to my chest once he releases them and my tail around my waist as tight as it can go, and I hear a soft chuckle.

“Then you will need to _relax_ , including this cute little tail, too. Come on, I’ll help.” His long sharp claws stroke the base of my tail—and how is he doing that with me on my back? How did he get his hand behind me? His touch is sending strange waves of pleasure down the length of my tail and into my spine, up into my shoulders. It really feels nice—incredibly sensuous and extremely arousing.

“St-stop,” I whisper. I don’t think I should be feeling like this! It’s not safe!

“Relax,” he purrs, and I struggle not to open my eyes, but he is much closer than he was just a minute ago. His breath huffs warmly against my throat and something damp touches me—making me gasp and shudder. I lower my chin reflexively. “Are you sure you don’t require a reminder? You’re still not being very compliant. I told you to relax.” He speaks gently to me—softly, tenderly, almost—not at all like he is threatening to spank me again. 

 _Spank_ me? Seriously? Could this be any more embarrassing? I could never tell another soul I was caught by a bounty hunter who kept me in line by spanking me! How old does he think I am? This is ridiculous! 

But I _have_ to comply—and I fight my shame—because I do _not_ want that sort of reminder. That last spanking wasn’t what I would call completely unpleasant, and I found that much too confusing! Again, it didn’t feel... safe.

“Um—n-no—I will—I can—I can do _better_! _Please_ —don’t hurt me,” I beg, my eyes popping open—and I can’t see anything but white. What is this? I wasn’t used to the dark earlier, but what is this? Then I realize it’s Rai’s perfect, silver hair, hanging all over me, covering my vision. It doesn’t tickle like I expect it to—it’s heavy and silky—and it is perfect. I can’t help myself—I reach out to run my fingers through it before I can stop my hands. 

“Didn’t I say I wasn’t going to hurt you?” His purring voice comes again, and he looks up at me, and I see a flash a pale blue. Uwaa! He’s caught me touching his hair! Shit! I lower my hands. His voice is kind, though, and indulgent. “But, my—you are not very compliant, are you? What do I need to do to convince you? Look, you’ve opened your eyes again.”

“Ah—I’m s-sorry!” and I squeeze them shut, pressing a few more tears from them, dropping my hands back to my sides—not realizing I’ve kept fistfuls of soft hair in them.

“Stop this cringing, silly kitten—this isn’t what I had in mind for you, either. But how can I get you to relax?” 

Maybe _don’t_ keep licking me? Maybe give me back my _clothes_? Of course, I’m too afraid to say something so snarky out loud, but a rustling sound makes me peep my eyes open once more. His blue eye locks itself on my face, and he looks rather sharply at me—sharp enough to make my ears flatten against my skull.

“What?” I whisper, afraid—scared enough so my body trembles.

“I do appreciate your brilliant and snarky ideas—however, I am actually planning on going in the _opposite_ direction—”

Did I speak out loud? Did I actually say those snide comments out loud? Oh, my gods!

“I didn’t mean to say anything! I didn’t think I even moved my mouth! I-I am s-so sorry—Please— _please_ forgive me! Please—don’t punish me!”

“I heard your voice loud and clear, kitten. And are you _sure_ you don’t want me to punish you? It seems you didn’t actually dislike it as much as you claimed. I think I know _exactly_ what will help you.”

Another embarrassing sound comes out of my mouth when his fangs graze my neck—I’m sure he is about to bite me, and he could literally tear my throat to pieces if he wanted to—and I am cowering in fear—thinking, _I’m_ _sorry_ , _I’m_ _sorry_ , _I’m_ _sorry_ —and my breath is panting wildly, my heart is pounding hard in my ears and in my chest, and I feel his hands sliding down my waist—completely ignoring my hands, which are struggling against the weight of his body and pushing against his chest—though weakly, terrified of his fangs tearing my skin. I even keep my chin up and neck exposed in a submissive position.

And more—there’s something almost captivating about the way he is touching my waist. 

Oh, gods, I _hate_ myself! What is _wrong_ with me!? I need to fucking get a grip and figure out what to do! I’ve never been in a situation like this before, but I know what is about to happen, and I’m not some simpering damsel in distress! I’m a capable fighter—I have to be able to do something—

And he glances up at my face.

“You really didn’t speak out loud, just now, did you?” 

“N-no, I c-couldn’t—I mean, I w-would never disrespect—” 

“I doubt that very much,” Rai says, glaring down at me. “I’m feeling a rather strange sensation from you. I think I know what I’d like to do. You may not appreciate this method at first, but I promise it will relax you. I will not hurt you, so don’t panic. Just close your eyes and keep breathing. Enjoy the sensations.”

This doesn’t sound like a punishment. It almost sounds like he wants me to feel pleasure.

He pulls something from the side of the blanket I’m lying on: the rope he used on me earlier. Efficiently, he ties my wrists. The tears I’ve been holding back spill down my cheeks, and I turn my face away, desperate to hide from him. I cannot show him—I will _not_ show him my shame or tears. This is making me feel even more powerless and helpless. If only I were big enough to retaliate and then—oh, he’d get his. 

I hear a small chuckle—almost in response as if I said my thought out loud.

“Don’t you trust my words? I don’t have any reason to trick you. If I wanted to spank your pretty little ass again, I’d just do it. In this strange relationship of ours, I do what I like, but I also will do what I say I will do—and you, too, will do as I say, or else I will _make_ you. For now, though, I think I wait till you beg me to punish you.”

I gasp at his lewd suggestion. I will  _never_ do that. But then, I remember the last time he spanked me, he was wearing those soft, smooth leather gloves, and they felt so nice against my skin—hypnotizing and smooth. They felt very sharp when he spanked me—but afterward, so soothing and cool on my hot skin. Perhaps, if I was restrained on his lap and teased and pet—especially with those gloves—but not spanked, he probably could make me beg.

“The _gloves_?” His mouth is close to my ear again, taking another lick deep inside the downy fur, making it quiver. “You liked my _gloves_? How delightfully kinky! I like you more and more, little kitty!”

His remark does something strange to my body—because he praised me, as vulgar as it was—do I want his praise that much?—making me sigh and shift around in embarrassment, though I know I’m not supposed to move. I can’t move very far, as my hands are bound in front of my body. But how— 

“H-how did you know?” I whisper. I keep my eyes closed obediently, and my chin is tilted up, and I can feel his gaze resting on my face, perhaps waiting for me to disobey again by opening my eyes. I am sorely tempted. I feel a soft, plush touch on my chin, then my nose, then each of my cheeks. Is he kissing me? Why?

“Know? About what?” I hear him smiling in his tone of voice—probably grinning that Cheshire Cat grin, more like.

“The gloves. I didn’t say anything.” I sound like I am pouting. 

“Two things. First, how you responded to my touch earlier. I knew you didn’t dislike being touched—or spanked—on my lap, especially compared to the whip. You purred! You can’t help yourself. Your body is starved for touch, kitten. Second, I heard you admit it, just now, as you were fantasizing about how, let’s see how you phrased it: if you were restrained on my lap and teased and pet, I could probably make you beg for a spanking, especially if I were wearing gloves.”

Another strange sound comes out of my mouth.

“What _are_ you really? Can you read my mind?!” I still do not move nor do I open my eyes—for fear he _will_ start to tease me with those gloves—and then—I feel a soft, smooth sensation on my thigh. It’s his hand, but it is no longer bare. He’s pulled on a glove—oh, my gods—and my stomach curls up on itself. I don’t know what to do—and a desperate, lewd mewling sound comes out of my mouth.

“You _love_ the feel of leather against your skin, don’t you? It’s a sexy feeling, isn’t it? Almost a little _dirty_? I have a small suggestion for you, Konoe, my little prey from Karou. If you want to stay with me for a while longer, rather than being returned to your village, why don’t you let me play with you?”

Play? What the hell does he mean? I cannot speak when his hand slides down the back of my thigh to my knee, then disappears. Next to my ear, I hear the slightly squeaky sound of leather—and I wonder if he is putting on his other glove. The thought shoots a bolt of heat into my hips and makes me shudder. Why would he do this—knowing I enjoy the sensation? To tease me? To make fun of me? Or does he really wish to please me? 

But I am kissed on the lips—deeply—his tongue invades my mouth in a frightening way. His kiss makes me feel his intensity in a direct way, both his purr and that crazy strong desire that I do not understand. It bristles my fur, but also incites my body and my own purr, as though he is claiming me. Possessively, both his gloves hands trace down the length of my body—from pinching the tips of my ears—so very lightly—to dragging the leather through its fur—and it pulls just a little, as it does on the hair on my head, to my neck and out my shoulders—first his fingertips then flattening out his palms—under my arms and tracing the shape of my chest, which is much more narrow than his—and down my waist, which is trim, compared to my wide hips. He flattens his hand and sends one behind me to stop at my tail—after feeling around my ass a good deal first, and the other hand traces down one thigh then back up the other.

“You have a gorgeous body, kitten,” and I would have thought he was teasing except for his voice, which is heated. It’s not out of control, but it is definitely heated. “What I want from you is to simply relax and enjoy these sensations to the fullest. Keep your eyes closed, and let me know if you feel something you like—and if you feel like you want to come, just go right ahead. Don’t wait.” 

 _Come_? I think, _come where_? I think, _does he mean_ — 

“You are an innocent, indeed—and I don’t mind—but your preferences—they are _not_. You’ve become much more relaxed since I bound your wrists—yet another delightful surprise. I _adore_ it.” His purr is so deep that it vibrates the bones in my body, making me feel warm and nice.

_Huh. He’s right. Am I losing my will to fight? Is that better? For him? For me?_

His glove is running through the fur on my tail—and his fingers work through the entire length. Its tight hold around my body has now relaxed—almost a betrayal, I think—but I can’t help it. I can’t seem to control myself or my body when this giant cat touches me. His other hand is on my chest, loosening my arms gently, sliding his free hand underneath them. And I’m tired—it’s night, I’m young and still require a lot of sleep, and he is loosening my resolve.

“What do you _want_ from me?” I whimper, shocked at the submissive, quiet tone of my voice. Where did all my fight go? Finally, my arms relax, and that gloved hand smoothes up my chest and out to my shoulders, as though pressing me into the ground. I quiver when his fingers brush my nipples. The sensation is so weird—living leather embracing my skin. I can feel his fingers move, but the leather is cool and smooth—a weird juxtaposition—almost like he is a demon. He laughs low, again.

“A demon? That’s not far from the truth, I suppose, sweet kitten. But you don’t listen well, despite these gigantic ears of yours,” he purrs. I bristle my ears—he heard my thoughts again—I don’t understand what is going on! He’s one to talk—I’ve asked him to stop, and he must not be able to hear for all the pretty white fluff stuffed inside his own ears... which I get the urge to peek at and lick. I crack my eyes open just a little—and when I do—he’s already looking at me, as though he knew I was going to peek! How? Is he _actually_ reading my mind? Is he _really_ a demon? I’ve never seen a cat his size, so perhaps this is what demons look like... and my body stiffens again.

“I told you to _relax_. If I have to tell you again, there will be consequences. _Physical_ consequences. You respond very well to physical consequences. Or is it that’s what you _want_? Do you _want_ me to spank you again? Because your eyes are open again. So _willful_.”

“No! Please!” I beg, looking away, but not quite closing my eyes.

He tilts my chin up roughly so I’m forced to meet that cool blue gaze. 

“Well, which is it? No or please? I won’t know unless you tell me. You keep saying you don’t want me to hurt you, yet you rebel against everything I ask you to do—the most willful charge I’ve ever had. You seem to be _asking_ for punishment.”

“N-no,” my voice quivers—it shivers with fear, along with the rest of my body. 

“I could give you something slightly more _extreme_. Perhaps you’d enjoy it—” his voice purrs ever so gently, as though tempting me with sweets. 

“N-no! I-I d-don’t want to be punished,” I shout the first part, making him widen his eye slightly, then whisper the rest, watching his ears perk up. 

“How do you know if you don’t try it? Are you going to obey me, then? Why am I able to see these beautiful eyes of yours, then?” He brushes his gloves fingers along my chin, and I try not to gasp—but the touch is so sensual. I want... _more_. I think.

‘I-i j-just wanted t-to l-look at your ears—I had a strange urge,” I whisper that last sentence almost imperceptibly, but apparently, he hears very well. His strange ears twitch slightly—cutely, in fact, when they tip toward me. He looks so different with his ears fluffed out and perked toward me. No cat should be this attractive. I suppose if any bandit were going to assault me, I’d just as soon it be him—

“ _Assault_ you?” He looks up at me, a look of insult on his face. “You think this is me _assaulting_ you? I _could_ assault you if I like—and it would feel quite different, I assure you.”

“Well, what _is_ this, then?” I ask, then I stick out my bottom lip. “For surely, you do _not_ have my consent.”

“Your _consent_? That’s rich,” Rai chuckles, running his hand down the side of my body again. “You are my _prey_. You are my _bounty_. I can do whatever I like with you. Don’t you realize your position? I could and should, in fact, bring you back to Karou. Is _that_ what you want?”

Lowering my ears and my eyes, though I can’t lower my face with his hand on my chin, I still peer up at him through my dark eyelashes.

“N-no.” My voice is barely perceptible. 

“I’m sorry, I couldn’t quite hear you.”

A sudden rage floods my body. I _hate_ being in this position. I cannot bear it! I have _no_ power here—and of course, if I am sent home, I will be killed. But being with him means I have no power either, no will of my own. But I don’t understand what he wants with me! I _hate_ this!

“Do what you like!” I growl. 

“Do you want me to make you beg for it? I was moving slowly for your benefit.”

“Go ahead. I don’t _care_! I don’t have any say anyway!” I know I sound like a spoiled brat, but I really do not care. I’m angry!

“Because I rather _like_ the sound of that begging voice of yours, especially when you were over my lap.” He is staying cool despite my rage, which enrages me further.

I gasp again, shocked at his lewd words, and I blush from the tips of my ears down to my chest, and he smiles again broadly.

“ _Fuck_ you!” I hiss. I’m getting more and more angry, the more lightly he is taking me. I feel my fangs poking out over the top of my lips, and he brushes the tips of my ears.

“Pink—so gorgeously pink—as pink as your ass was earlier today. Did it hurt a lot, little one?” Damn it! He can see the color of my ears in here? It’s dark! He must be a demon if his night vision is so damned good. _Fuck_ him! 

“Yes!” I sputter—that whip was incredibly painful—and I can still hear the sound of it against my skin. It pisses me off—and then something else, too—but I am refusing to think about that other feeling right now. I will _not_ think about it—there is something weirdly, oddly sexy about the silver cat holding a whip.

“I am not talking about the whip. I’m talking about when I spanked you with my hand, in my lap.” The hand resting on my tail flattens out and cups my bottom, making me blush even deeper.

“Well, yes—it hurt, too,” I hiss, but I’m slightly hesitant. My entire body is still shaking with rage. I’m tempted to bite him if he gets any closer—consequences be damned! 

“Are you hesitating because it also felt _good_? Was it surprising to find that it _excited_ you? That you could _enjoy_ a touch like that? I could feel your response, and I felt you purring.”

“What the _hell_ do you want with me? I said you could just do what you want! Just get it over with and let me fucking _sleep_!” 

I see his pale blue eye sparkling again—more sharply than before—and his fangs still show in a slight smile.

“I don’t think you really mean that. It sounds like you’re about to bite me,” he whispers, and then his lips take mine—violently. He nearly crushes me with his body weight. My anger has done nothing to curb his enthusiasm, it seems since I feel his erection pressing against my legs. He has one hand behind the nape of my neck, which he uses to tilt my head just so—deepening the kiss so not only my lips are completely covered by his, but my nose is also pushed against his face, so I can only breathe through his mouth—and that’s _only_ if he allows.

I lose my breath shortly, and I start to kick my feet in panic, and I feel him smile slightly, and he allows me to breathe through his mouth—it’s so hot, that breath through his body—it’s so strange—as if to remind me I am only alive right now through his good graces. A few more tears slip down my cheeks, and my frustration builds even more.

When he pulls away, I bite down hard on his lower lip. He hums softly, looks down at me, and he is actually purring now—low, deep, and wet—rattling my own body—and he bites me back—hard—at least as hard as I bit him.

I hiss and bite him again. It’s stupid, because I know he’s going to bite me back. This time, I am scooped up in his arms first, and he murmurs, “Kitten, don’t you know better than to start fights you have no hope to win?” My top lip is nipped, and then my throat is bitten several times—and he continues to purr. That purr is doing something strange to my body—because I find I’m lifting up my chin, simply allowing him to nip me now, in utter submission. He continues biting, following up each little nip with a lick and a soft, gentle kiss, making a trail down to my collarbone, which sends shivers down the length of my tail and into my spine, making all the fur on my body fluff out.

“Look how pretty you are—your body is certainly responding to me, even if your mind tries to resist,” he whispers. “You have _gorgeous_ skin. Let me touch you some more. It will feel good. And you will sleep much better.”

“I don’t have a _choice_!” I snarl.

He looks up at me, an almost puzzled expression on his face.

“No. I suppose you don't.” 

And he continues that trail down my chest—licking and nipping my nipples, which sounds so vulgar I want to plug my ears for embarrassment, but my hands are still bound, so I can’t—but it feels amazing, sending small shocking waves of pleasure pooling into my hips. I didn’t think those parts of me were even connected. His tongue suddenly dips into my bellybutton, and I curve it back against the floor, trying to lie still, thinking it should tickle, but that too—

Oh, gods—what is he _doing_? Why is he—oh, my gods—why is he down _there_? He’s going to notice...

He begins grooming the soft white fur just below my belly, and I cannot _help_ the sound that comes out of my mouth. What should tickle is most certainly _not_ tickling—and I am purring and making all sorts of strange sounds. My hands may be bound, but at least they are in front of my body, so I shove them in front of my mouth, even biting them—to keep the sounds from escaping.

He stops for a moment, at least—his mouth stops—I feel his gloves moving through the fur, which is an awfully strange, but very nice, sensation.

“Konoe, kitten. Just relax your body. This should be enjoyable for you. I’m not trying to hurt you. I’m not trying to embarrass you. Just relax. I _love_ the sounds you make—don’t worry about them. It lets me know what you like and what you don’t like, after all.”

“B-but why are you d-doing this?” I ask, breathlessly.

“I told you—I want you to warm my bed and I want you to feel good.”

A shiver goes through my body—and suddenly—something different touches my fur. Warm—but not wet—his fingers? Did he take off the gloves? He’s just so close to another part of my body that is currently straining, and aching, almost—I’m embarrassed by how aroused I am. There's no way he _doesn't_ notice because I feel his hands run up my thighs, and I shiver again.

Then, I feel his tongue touch my hip, and I sit up, startled.

“N-no—wait—” 

His hands press me back down to the blanket, and I have my eyes open. I see his pale blue eye watching me. How is he not utterly embarrassed? The view is interesting, to say the least.

“Kitten, it’s all right. I’m not going to hurt you. This will make you feel _good_. I _want_ you to feel good.”

Seeing that blue eye among all that silver hair—brushing against my hips—it’s not where it’s supposed to be—my breath catches. He smiles up at me while running both hands across my hipbones, making me gasp out loud. To my shock, he kisses just the very tip of my erection and runs his tongue around the rim. A strange sound leaks from my mouth—a sigh mixed with something like “aaahhhh,” and I cannot suppress it.

“Good boy. Now relax,” the silver cat purrs. I watch as he lowers his soft, velvet lips around my dick. The sensation—warm, inviting, wet—it’s indescribably delicious and it takes my breath away. I stutter when he sucks lightly and pulls me out of his mouth after sinking all of me into his mouth. I can feel the back of his throat vibrating with his purr—it’s such a strange and delightful sensation—and it’s not that I want to choke him, but I want to feel it again. 

“P-please,” I beg.

“Mmm,” he hums, and I shiver—my entire body submitting to his touch—and I drown in pleasure when he immerses me in his mouth fully the next time. The humming adds another visceral layer of vibration that makes me melt. My whole being seems to converge right in his mouth—which at first, is a little bit unnerving, since those fangs are long and sharp—but the pleasure he is giving me makes my heart race and I’m breathing so hard, panting short shallow breaths, that I feel dizzy and my lips and the tips of my ears and nose feel numb.

“Mmmm,” I murmur incoherently, but my contentment doesn’t last long. He is slowly working me up into a frenzy and wraps both hands around my hips, traveling to the base of my tail, which bristles at his touch. He massages it hard, brushing the fur backward, and I arch my back slightly, still hesitant to thrust my hips or cant them forward—I feel out of control and very unlike myself. He touched me this way when he was spanking me earlier, I think. 

Then he increases suction in his mouth suddenly, making me mewl helplessly, and his other hand brushes just below the base of my tail. Now, I _know_ I should resist that touch—it _should_ feel invasive and intrusive—he’s trying to touch my entrance back there, I _know_ it—but I can’t with my dick in his mouth.

“Ah, fuck,” I whisper softly.

And his fingers tickle me slightly and I arch my back toward his fingers. I think my body is offering itself to him—despite my better judgment. What a betrayal!

“Shit,” I say, as his fingers caress my ass.

He hums happily, and then I’m suddenly experiencing more intense suction, purring, humming, stroking on my tail, stroking from his tongue, and then a finger presses inside—very, very gently. I gasp, sigh, and purr—my body trembles, my fur ripples—and I feel a slight pressure and a short burst of pain, and strange sensation of indulgence,which encourages me to relax. I breathe deeply and allow the sensation, feeling him pressing around inside me, and my insides sinking around his finger, and it feels strangely good.

 _What has he done to me?_  

I’ve never stimulated myself inside before, so this is a new sensation. But I suddenly notice an increase in scent—his is that fresh rain mixed with leather—as well as the outside of this enclosure—I can smell the raw earth underneath the blanket, the smoldering ashes left from the fire, the forest of pine trees that still have the branches, and the moldy fallen leaves turning to dust on the forest floor. Is this a result of enhanced sensation? My pupils have widened, and I can see a little better. The silver cat is still watching me carefully. His silver hair is a mess, falling all over my belly, waist, and legs—if I concentrate, it seems I can feel every single strand of hair. My ears twitch at the liquid squishing sounds coming from his mouth—vulgar, really—and they make my face heat up.

My heart pulses in my ears—pounding like a drum—and my world suddenly starts to slow down. My breath catches—it sounds so strange in my ears—a desperate, high-pitched sound, like I’m drowning—and my body starts to tingle and shiver, starting at my waist. I try to warn the silver cat—with my world so slow, I should think I have time, but my hands won’t move fast enough. I reach out—I realize my hands have been buried in his hair and stroking his soft, silky ears this whole time. I think, _what the hell am I doing? With a bounty hunter?_

I try to pull him off of me, but he just meets my eyes and he increases suction, and I feel something behind me—another finger slipping in? Oh gods—and scissoring apart?— _oh gods—I can’t anymore!_ —

— _Just come, kitten_ —

I look at his face, and he hasn’t spoken, but I heard the words. What _was_ that? My stomach muscles tighten, my knees want to pull up, but he’s lying on top of me—and I’m wheezing with effort and pleasure—and something is different—his hair is glowing? Do his ears look gold? And I feel a surge of relief and pleasure slipping through my fingers and out my mouth and through my body and I climax.

The world glows completely white for a moment and I shut my eyes, gasping and sighing. I hear a loud sound escaping my mouth and I can’t get my hands to cover it in time. His fingers continue to scissor me apart, which does something amazing to my climax, extending it in a weird way, making me shiver and shudder—unlike anything I have ever done to myself—and I know I have come right in his mouth. 

I open my eyes—and I am watching him lick me—smiling down at me—licking my shivering body gently—licking off any remaining come and sweat—and he has a strange expression in his face now—and it’s light as day—bright—in this cozy little shelter.

 _Where is this light coming from?_  

 _And... what is this sound?_  

I’m so confused. Of course, I’ve jerked off before—I’m male! But it’s _never_ felt like this—or sounded like this. My body is still vibrating and shivering.

“What _is_ that?” I ask.

“Kitten,” Rai purrs softly, running a hand up my belly. “Do you really not know?” He tilts his head, crawling closer to me. I am starting to feel very warm, very relaxed, and very, very tired.

“I am so tired.”

“You are singing, kitten.” He kisses my nose. “Have you never sung before?” My body feels like it is becoming one with the blanket beneath me. Rai gently parts my thighs.

“Mmm, no—Ah!” Something cold touches my entrance—cold and wet? What is that? “What—?” 

“Shh—I’ll make it quick. You’re so relaxed that it shouldn’t hurt at all. You did very well, kitten,” he purrs. Looking up through my lashes, his blue eye is almost completely dark—his pupil round, his lashes pale. It’s still very light in here.

“What is that light?” I ask as I feel something pressing against my entrance and then slowly inside me—bigger and hotter than his fingers—but my body is so helpless and relaxed I can’t do anything about it. It isn’t terribly uncomfortable, just incredibly tight.

“It’s from you. You are making it,” Rai answers—and his voice is soft and breathless. “Oh gods, you feel _perfect_.”

He is kneeling between my legs, folding my thighs up against my chest—and I start to feel very, very full—an impossibly tight sensation, and my tail bristles. 

“Um—w-wait—um—I-i think—um—“ I’m very nervous, stammering, afraid he will hurt me, and I feel his fingers at the base of my tail again, massaging me—and the light brightens suddenly—enough so I have to close my eyes—but not before I see his widen in surprise. 

“Ah—do you like that?” he asks gently. “You don’t think you could come again so soon, do you? Do you want to try? Do you want me to touch you?”

His other hand sneaks around to my dick—and it stiffens immediately in response, and I gasp. He moves my still-bound hands around his neck to stabilize me. I have no idea what is happening to my body.

“What are you d-doing to m-me?” I look up at him for just a moment, and he stares right back at me, a fire blazing in his eye, half a smile on his lips, just before he takes them again—and right as he takes them, he presses inside me completely. It takes me by surprise—and having his tongue inside my mouth at the same time, I feel completely at his mercy. 

Strangely, I don’t hate this feeling as much as I thought I would—in fact, I don’t hate it at all. A tingling sensation builds into arousal at the base of my spine—but this feels so different from the direct stimulation he was giving me earlier. This is much more personal if I can describe it that way. I feel like my body is being used for his pleasure, and I really don’t dislike it.

Also, he sighs into my mouth at the start of the kiss—a satisfied sound—as though he is enjoying the sensation of being inside me, and that makes my song—or whatever it is—change to something sexier. I see that blue eye widen at the change, and my body is indeed what is glowing: thin tendrils of light spill from my fingers and attach themselves to his hair, to his body, to his back and shoulders, invading his body in the same way he is invading me.

It’s an odd sensation—but shouldn’t this be painful? This should be excruciating—I saw the size of him, and I know I can probably stretch some, and that’s what he was doing earlier, but I couldn’t have stretched _that_ much. So is it the song that is making things much better?

“Does it hurt?” he murmurs against my mouth, and then he backs off slightly, tilting my chin down to gain access to my ears. He licks each one several times, and I just submit. I realize I cannot move—and that is both a little scary and an awfully arousing sensation. He could do whatever he likes to me—in fact, isn’t he doing just that, right now?

He looks down at me once more, after he is satisfied with the state of my ears, peering into my eyes—again as though he is reading my mind.

“It’s your song—your ability to sing—that is allowing this connection. Listen carefully, little Sanga.”

_—I am doing what I want, and you don’t seem to dislike it.—_

I take a shocked breath in—if I listen, I can hear _his_ thoughts as well. I’ve been so scattered, I haven’t been listening.

“I only have to listen, and I can hear what you are thinking?”

“Yes, although you have been slightly distracted—perhaps I have been contributing to your distraction.” His hands have been wandering up and down my body—my waist, my hips, and my thighs, which are pressed against my chest. “Breathe deeply, and stay just like this now.”

It’s not as though I could move anyway, so I submit.

He rocks his hips—and that tingling sensation becomes stronger and stronger—and when he starts to thrust, it becomes quite pleasurable—much to my surprise. The melody ringing in my ears vibrates across my skin and fur—and causes a sensation like electricity wherever we touch.

I notice he changes his angle several times, and he is watching my face, which I find rather embarrassing—or I _would_ find embarrassing if it didn’t feel so pleasant—and then I feel something markedly different. This feels more intense, like a chill shooting from the base of my spine up through my shoulders and down my tail and into my legs. It changes into a vague feeling of intense pleasure, almost akin to a small climax. It frightens me.

A loud, desperate voice escapes—and that _is_ embarrassing. When Rai looks at my face, I am definitely embarrassed to be caught making such a strange sound and whatever strange face I must be making.

But he looks gorgeous—his hair matted to his skin from sweat, his skin shining, the most subtle pink blush dusting his cheeks and nose and collarbones. And he smells amazing—and I still can’t move, except to shiver, shudder, and gasp in delight. I can close my eyes but I can’t even turn away. 

I take that back—I do manage to turn my head away when he hits the same spot and causes the same reaction. It’s too much to be seen in this light, in this state of desire and indulgence. It takes all my effort to move just my head, and I have no more energy afterward. However, being seen is overwhelming. He’s already seen me come once, and to see me indulging so freely a second time—and so soon—it's too much!

I feel something soft on my chin, turning my face back toward him, and he rocks his hips forward once more. This time, when that same vulgar sound escapes my lips, he takes my mouth in a kiss, humming with delight.

“Don’t turn away, little Sanga,” he says, once he pulls away, as his hips keep moving, driving me past my limit. “Show me—I want to see you come undone.”

He asks so gently, so softly—he sounds like a different cat, not the commanding, demanding bounty hunter who made me strip off my clothes to demonstrate my obedience earlier—and when I think about that, and I feel this sensation again, shuddering with pleasure—I feel so confused. He _wanted_ me to feel this? Even back then? Is this what he was planning?

When he took me over his lap to spank me—did he _want_ me to feel this kind of pleasure? 

I give up on trying to stop the noise coming from my lips—and I’m drooling at this point, too, but I don’t know if it’s my saliva or his since he kisses me again and again. I’m completely at his mercy, and I _want_ to be here.

My song has changed again, and the light coming from my body has changed to a much warmer hue. It looks golden, and it makes Rai look blonde, rather than silver-haired, and his eye looks light gold. He is a gorgeous cat—I’ve never seen such a gorgeous creature... and I wonder why he saved me.

Because that is what he did—he _saved_ me from the forest, from my village, from my people, from myself.

I would do _anything_ for him.

“Please,” I whisper.

“Please _what_?” He is nearly growling, that purr coming from his body ruffles up my fur and vibrates my bones as much as my melody does.

“I want to c-come again,” I whimper. “Please!" 

“Of course, sweet little kitten,” he brings his lips to my ear and whispers his reply, then he starts thrusting even faster—fucking my body, my tail and my dick with his hands, and even my ear with his tongue. I am completely overwhelmed, and I submit.

“I w-want to be y-yours,” I murmur into the side of his neck, and I lick and nip and suck on his shoulder, not realizing that I am marking it all to hell. But later, I will see a love bite there, and remember that I left it there in the throes of passion. It will embarrass the hell out of me when I see it, but now, the only thing I can think of is kissing him, getting closer to him. 

I start to come undone—each time his dick passes over that spot inside me, I feel like I am dissolving into pleasure, melting into this indulgence, my consciousness fading away into extravagance. Then, a gigantic surge sneaks up—but it’s so different than before. This torrent gushes forth from my chest—the source of the song, which also reaches its own crescendo—and I feel like my mind splits open to quench the flames of desire that have been stoked. I can’t hear my voice, but I must nearly scream when I come, and my vision and my thoughts temporarily go completely blank. And I see something unexpected. 

I see myself—in a state I can only describe as unrecognizable and completely indecent. It’s not the fact that I’m nude, necessarily—it’s the look on my face. I’m completely subjugated, and it’s obvious from my expression that I don’t mind being in this position—my face shows utter submission and ecstasy at the same time. I get shivers looking at myself—but in fact, I must be seeing myself through Rai’s eye, and I feel a strange, soft tenderness, as though I have found something I have lost or something for which I have been searching for a long time. It’s such a strange vision—it can’t be real. I must have imagined it. 

And just when I think that I’m thrust back into my own body and I come—hard. Pleasure spreads throughout my body in rippling waves that take over my senses completely. Maybe because I’m relaxed or because I can’t move, this climax is all the better—but it almost oozes throughout every nook and cranny of my being, out to my fingers and toes, even into my claws, which draw reflexively, and my ears and tail, which twitch uncontrollably, the fur standing on end. It lasts a long time, wave after wave, and then the waves start becoming less intense, like dropping a stone in a lake—they become less intense but still very pleasurable. It’s amazing!

I’m exhausted, however, I can feel Rai coming as well, and he releases inside of my body—hot and wet—spilling inside me, and he sighs and purrs as he rides out his climax while licking my ear and stroking the base of my tail, lightening his touch gradually. 

We are both purring when we finally finish—and I want to sleep. I realize that light has dimmed and my song has softened to a whisper.

He turns to me and shushes me.

"That’s enough now, little Sanga. You will exhaust yourself if you sing anymore.” He strokes my ears, and he undoes the rope on my wrists, and then strokes my back, turning me to my side. “You did very well—your song is so beautiful. I was almost certain about you when I first heard you cry. I was wondering if perhaps you’d never sung before. Your village would never have sacrificed you if they knew you were a Sanga.”

“You keep saying that—but I’m not so sure...”

“Konoe, kitten, it’s late now, and you need sleep. You’re exhausted from the song and from the sex. So we will discuss this in the morning, but what do you think that song and light was, if not a Sanga’s tune? I am a Touga, and I can sense these things.”

“You knew?”

“I thought you might sing if I aroused you, which is why I took you over my knee the second time.”

“You were trying to get me to sing?” I’m slightly disappointed, and I’m not sure why. What was I expecting? That he wanted me to feel pleasure just to make me feel good? That’s ridiculous. Of course, he would have had a reason. There’s no way a gorgeous cat like him would feel attracted to a cat like me. 

“In part, yes.”

“What was the other part?”

“I just wanted to get my hands on your hot little body.” He grins down at me. I know he _has_ to be teasing because he can't mean that. I don’t appreciate it—it's too close to what I want to be true—and I drop my eyes. “Come on, now. Let’s get you some sleep, or you will be unbearable tomorrow.”

“Unbearable?” I echo. 

“You are very disobedient and crabby when you are tired, I've noticed. After good rest—or after physical punishment—you become much more biddable.” He turns my body around as though I weigh nothing, pulling me up against his chest. He is still naked—and I feel something dripping out of me—and it’s leaking onto his stomach. I can’t even clench my buttocks to make it stop, and my ears blush in embarrassment.

“Oh—um, I—um,” I stammer.

“It’s not like that belongs to you anyway,” he murmurs into my ear. He wipes me off with a small towel. “Don’t concern yourself with it. We will wash in the river tomorrow. Just sleep, kitten.”

He begins grooming my ears, and it feels amazing, much to my chagrin. I was hoping I could keep my irritation with him, but I can’t. It just feels so warm, relaxing, and just right—I close my eyes and purr.

“You have such a lovely purr,” he whispers. “And I cannot help myself when it comes to these ears of yours. They are just asking to be groomed.”

Long, slow strokes of that warm tongue—that has been all over my body today—gods, I can’t think about that now—so hypnotizing! I close my eyes and fall asleep, listening to the soft rumbling purr behind me. His fluffy tail wraps itself around mine and covers my body, and his strong arms wrap around my chest and hips.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A short update: the morning after. Konoe wakes feeling ashamed but finds himself alone. He uses the perfect opportunity to escape—with dire consequences.
> 
> Triggers: chase, escape drama/trauma, physical injury.
> 
> Summary follows.

I wake to the smell of leather and fresh, spring grass—which is odd because it’s autumn. I’ve slept incredibly well—I’ve had no nightmares and was plenty warm—and I give a great long stretch. Feeling slightly groggy, I look around as I sit up. I’m on a blanket, covered by another blanket, underneath a tarp strung up between several trees—a makeshift shelter from the rain. Beyond the shelter, a dense, thick white fog prevents me from seeing any further than the immediate camp.

Shivering when the damp, chilly breeze blows through my hair and brushes against my chest, my mind starts to clear. I realize I’m naked, and the mortifying events from last night flood my mind, most unwelcome—the sounds I made, now I felt, what that silver cat did to me—and I flush with shame. 

What was I thinking? I have to get away from here! I can’t face him after yesterday! What if he no considers me his property, to do with as he wishes? He might expect a repeat of yesterday! When I look around, he’s currently nowhere to be seen. Maybe _now_ would be the perfect time to make my escape!

I slide out from the blankets to start searching for my clothes, and it’s freezing out here! When I stand upright, however, I am incredibly sore—my leg and stomach muscles, to start—and also, where he entered me last night. I wince, bringing my hand behind my body, looking over my shoulder, expecting to see blood—but all I see are several light stripes on my ass—and then my ears flatten, when I remember him whipping me. 

I’ve _got_ to get out of here! He must be crazy.

 _I want to be yours._  

My own voice echoes in my head—I know I said those words last night— _while_ he was fucking me. I was unable to move, unable to lift even a finger to protect myself, and he fucked me anyway—or possibly even _because_ I couldn’t protect myself. What did he say? It wouldn’t hurt because my body was so relaxed? What the hell?! But again, I didn’t ask him to stop, either—telling him I want to be his is the opposite, isn’t it? _Shit_!

Tears burn my eyes as I begin limping around the camp, searching for my belongings, my shame making me feel more naked than I already am. I can feel the soft earth squishing beneath my toes, and the smell reminds me of him. To my annoyance, I start to feel a little dizzy and strange when I smell the scent of fresh water on the earth and get even angrier when my body starts responding. It’s not something I can control—I know, I’m young, and my body acts on its own sometimes. But I keep getting flashbacks of him, whispering in my ear or licking them, or worse—licking the parts of me that are currently responding inappropriately.

I’m _utterly_ ashamed of myself. What happened to me last night? 

Finally, I find my clothes folded up in a neat pile underneath his cape, and I quickly start throwing them on, my breath hitching in a soft sob. Now is not the time to lose it! I have to get away!

As soon as I’m dressed, which takes longer than I expect since my body is so sore and tender, I continue looking for my pack, which should have my sword, my money, and just a few trinkets I brought with me from home. I look everywhere and I can’t find it. Could he have taken it with him?

Suddenly, I hear a twig snap in the dense fog outside the camp, and I freeze. If I’m going to go, I should go _now_. I may never have another chance—even if I escape unarmed without any resources. Hopefully, I can find someone who will help me out of the goodness of their hearts.

In a split second decision, I bolt in the opposite direction I heard the twig. I’m not even sure if it _was_ the bounty hunter returning, but I have to go. I won’t be nearly as fast today because of how sore I am, but the fog should help disguise me.

Within a few minutes, I realize I’ve made a terrible mistake. I can’t tell where I’m going in this dense fog. I may be running in circles, for all I can tell. What should I do? I stop for a moment—I need to think, my aching body needs the rest—and I notice a large tree. Perhaps _hiding_ would be a smarter option?

On a desperate whim, I climb the tree, using my claws to scale the trunk. I climb up as high as I can go and still barely make out passers-by on the forest floor through the fog. Even at this height—about twenty feet—I can’t see over the bank of thick fog. Here in the branches of the tree, I inhale the gentle scent of its bark and rest my body, trying to get my breathing and heart rate under control.

My hands and arms are covered in sap, but I don’t mind. I feel safe here—hiding.

At least—until I hear that familiar long gait, padding softly through the forest, crinkling leaves as he walks. He is following my trail— _exactly_. I swallow nervously, hugging my body closer to the trunk as he approaches.

He must pass me by. He won’t see me here. I’m well-hidden. For sure, he will keep walking.

Appearing like a ghost from the fog, I see his dark clothing materialize from the mist before his head comes into focus. He’s unhurried as he walks, those funny rounded ears perked up and alert. I realize I am holding my breath when he walks underneath the tree. He walks past—and I let out the breath I’m holding—but he only takes about five more steps before he stops. 

He turns his head, and I can see his nose twitching.

My gods. My _scent_! He is following my scent! _Shit_!

He retraces his steps slowly, looking around carefully. Then he leans up against the tree I’m sitting in. 

“I know you’re up there in the branches, pretty kitten. It seems you’ve broken your promise. Why don’t you make this easier on yourself and come down here? You’ll need to face the consequences sooner or later.”

I don’t say anything—breathing not a word, not making a single sound, though I’m afraid he will hear my pounding heart. My defenses are up, my fangs bared, my claws drawn, my fur fluffed out—and my pupils blown wide with fear. I’m scared out of my mind.

“What did you plan to use for money? Perhaps you were going to sell that cute little body of yours? I’m sure you’d get a lot of takers.”

Unwittingly, a growl escapes my throat. I choke it back, but I see his ears twitch. He heard me! _Fuck_!

“And for defense? You left without a weapon. You have sharp little teeth and a nice set of claws, but you aren’t powerful enough to defend yourself with your body alone. You need your weapon, kitten.”

I _know_ that! Of course, I know that!

“Fuck _you_ ,” I mutter quietly.

“Get your ass down here before you make it worse for yourself. If I have to come up there, you’re not going to like it.”

“What do you _want_ with me!?” I blurt out, on the verge of tears. “Did you really expect me to just _wait_ there—wait for you to come back to... _violate_ me again?! Or beat me? Humiliate me in some way? Is this _fun_ for you?!”

“Konoe, you’re making things worse. I’m asking you one last time, politely, to climb down from the tree and walk back to the camp with me. I won’t ask again.”

“I’m not going to put up with this shit! I can’t do this!” I can’t hold back my tears anymore, making me sound exactly like a spoiled child.

To my shock, Rai turns around and scales the tree. He moves quickly—much more quickly than I anticipate—and I bristle in fear. I have nowhere else to go, so I move out along the branch, which creaks slightly.

“Stupid cat! That branch isn’t going to hold your weight!” I hear the bounty hunter yelling at me—but the branch makes an impressive cracking sound, and Rai’s outstretched hand misses my cape by three inches. I fall, completely unprepared—to the ground from 20 feet in the air, cushioned only by the branch. I land squarely on my right foot, which hits the ground, making a similar impressive but sickening cracking sound.

A searing pain rushes from my ankle into my toes, pooling in my toenails, as well as up into my knee, almost into my thigh—and I scream. I realize I am still yelling when a black, blue, and silver blur lands right next to me, dropping gracefully from the tree with a soft thud. 

“Stupid, ridiculous kitten,” Rai says in a voice not devoid of sympathy. “Deep breaths—take deep breaths. I could hear that from the tree. I bet this hurts! You’ve most likely broken it. Let me see.” 

“No!” I yell. “Get _away_ from me! Don’t _touch_ me!!” I am gasping to try to catch my breath, and the silver cat ignores me. He picks me up, moving my leg as little as possible.

“I’ll look at it when we get back to camp. Try not to move.”

“Get off me!” I shout, in between cries—I’m squirming and kicking, making my pain much worse. “I don’t want your help!”

He chuckles lightly.

“Well, I won’t leave a kitten as useful and as pretty as you to be eaten by wild animals or snapped up by bandits. Stop moving. Can’t you see you’re making it worse?”

I continue my quiet painful tears—my entire right leg is throbbing. I’m hurting, and I’m angry, and I’m disappointed my escape plan didn’t work.

Once we get to camp, Rai sets me down. He walks to his supplies, pulls out a pouch, and hands me some herbs.

“This should help for the pain. Chew them but don’t swallow. I’m going to take off your boot now.”

“Please, please—” I grab both of his hands before he can take off my boot.

“Konoe, I have to take a look and set the bone if necessary. Here.” He puts the herbs in my mouth and rubs the base of my ears. “I know it hurts, but you will be all right. You will feel better soon.” 

I chew the leaves in my mouth—they are bitter—as fast as I can, and I get very, very anxious. I have a shooting pain from the outside of my ankle all the way up past my knee, and a deep, dull throbbing pain in the ankle itself.

Rai very carefully, very slowly pulls off my boot, and it _hurts_! I scream, and he tries to settle me.

“Oh, wow—shit. Lie down, kitten.”

Sobbing, I obey. I haven’t seen my ankle, and his response tells me I don’t want to. I feel sick to my stomach, so I chew the herbs in my mouth more, and the liquid from them and my saliva slides down my throat. I start feeling a little fuzzy—it doesn’t exactly help the pain, but it helps me feel a little better. I get my sobbing under control.

“So, we are going to need help with this,” Rai says calmly. “I’m going to put your ankle in a splint, and I’ll pack up camp. We will get help in Ransen.”

“I-is it that bad?” I ask quietly.

“Well, it’s definitely broken. I want to make sure it’s set correctly so you can walk again once it heals. I know how to set simple fractures, but this—is slightly more serious. But don’t worry. You will be fine.” 

He rubs my ears gently—almost tenderly.

“Is that medicine helping?”

“Yeah, a little.” 

“Good. I’ll pack up and do a makeshift splint—those herbs should be working well by then—and we will be underway. Just keep chewing those leaves.”

“Okay.” He pets my ears more gently and then starts packing up the camp. Shouldn’t he be mad at me? I’m slightly worried about that. He collapses the canopy we slept underneath and the blankets, wrapping everything up neatly. He makes sure the fire is out, and then starts gathering a few straight pieces of wood.

I get nervous when I see the wood and rope—thinking he might be about to punish me. It would probably hurt a lot to be spanked with those pieces of wood, I think. He notices me shifting around and my ears and tail twitching nervously.

“Are you all right?” 

“Um, a-are you g-going to p-punish me?” My voice is very quiet.

“Kitten, _no_ ,” he breathes an almost exasperated sigh. “These are for your _ankle_. I’ll be carrying you to the city, and it hurts when it moves, doesn’t it? So a splint will immobilize it temporarily and make you much more comfortable.”

“You aren’t going to p-punish me?” I ask again.

“Why? Do you want me to?” Rai asks, as he carefully binds my foot and leg to the pieces of wood. “Would it make you feel better?”

“I don’t know. Maybe? I’m sorry,” I breathe—and I’m shocked at the words that come out of my mouth.

“Hush, now. I know. Don’t worry about anything right now. I will take care of this for you.”

“Okay,” I say. I close my eyes. My ankle is still throbbing but I allow myself to drift in the pleasant hazy dreamworld of half-consciousness for a while. He carries me in his arms, and I snuggle my head against his chest, wondering why I tried to run this morning in the first place. He just smells so nice—it makes me relax enough so I can forget about my foot for a while.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rai carries his wounded bounty to the city of Ransen, where they seek help from an old not-so-much friend of Rai's--an innkeeper.
> 
> Triggers: non-consensual touching, teasing, bathing, medical trauma, grooming.

It’s afternoon by the time we arrive in the city, and it’s the biggest city I’ve ever seen. This is Ransen—and _my friend Tokino and his father live here_ , is the subversive thought that sneaks into the back of my mind as Rai carries me into an older but well-kept building marked “Inn” on the front.

“Old man!” Rai calls out, rather disrespectfully. He walks through the empty lobby and into another area, which appears to be the dining room. “Oy!”

Around the corner pops a head covered with black hair and a beard, sparkling amber eyes, topped with tiger-striped ears with the same funny curved shape as Rai's.

“It’s been a while, Rai-chan,” he says in a pleasant voice, once he gets the surprise off his face. Wait—did he just call the giant white cat _Rai-chan_? I blink in confusion. Who the hell is this tiger anyway?

“Never mind that. I have urgent business. I need help with a broken ankle.”

The amber eyes light on me, both eyebrows raising.

“You seem to be just fine. I assume you mean the adorable kitten in your arms? Who do we have here?”

“That is none of your business. Will you help me set his ankle or not?”

The tiger comes around the corner, wiping his hands on his apron. Shit! He looks even bigger than the white cat who is carrying me: just as tall, slightly broader in the shoulders and chest. Despite my drugged state, I shrink away from him.

“You’ve come at the start of the busy season, you know.” Bardo reaches into Rai’s hair and strokes his ears, which flatten at the unwelcome touch and makes his fur bristle. If he hates this cat so much, why is he asking him for help? Is the tiger untrustworthy? “I think you should at least tell me his name and what he is to you.”

“I’m Konoe,” I mumble, and I realize I’m barely able to speak. Is that why Rai gave me that medicine? To sedate me, rather than ease my pain? It's doing both. I’m laid down on a bench, and Rai pulls my head into his lap.

“And where are you from, Konoe?”

“Karou.” I want to say more, but I can’t form the words.

“Ah, I see. And who is he to you, Rai-chan? He is too small to be prey, isn’t he? Although he appears to be quite drugged. What did you give him? It doesn’t seem like you to look for help because your _prey_ broke his leg, nor does it seem like you to _comfort_ those you are hunting.”

“It’s his ankle, not his leg. And he _is_ , in fact, my bounty till I say otherwise.”

“Well, I am a sucker for a sweet face, and this boy sure has one. But what could he have done to get a bounty on his head?”

“Oh, my favorite,” Rai says, unable to keep the sarcasm from his voice. “He was his village's semi-annual sacrifice and he chose to run instead of submitting.”

“And you ran right into Rai-chan’s arms.” The tiger looks down at me carefully, then leans in and sniffs my ears. “And right into his bed, too?” The tiger gives the white cat a piercing look. “Don’t you know to separate business and pleasure? I _know_ I taught you better than that.”

“It’s _completely_ separated, Bardo,” Rai says defensively. “I took no money from Karou. I just don’t think he should go back there. He has a _gift_.”

“Well, I can see that,” Bardo says, smiling at me.

“Perverted old man! That’s not what I meant. Although...”  _My gods!_ Where is this conversation headed? I close my eyes, feeling my ears burn.

“Please, do enlighten me.”

“I’d rather not.” Rai purses his lips stubbornly. What kind of relationship do these two have? There's a short uncomfortable pause in the conversation.

“What exactly have you medicated him with?” Bardo asks.

Rai pulls out the herbs from his pocket, showing them to Bardo. “Before I splinted his foot, I thought he’d be more comfortable.”

“I see. Comfortable and biddable. May I take a closer look?” Amber eyes peer into mine, and I realize he is asking me. I can hardly refuse, so I nod my head.

He takes a closer look at my ankle.

“I’m going to remove the splint. It will probably hurt. I’m sorry, but it can’t be helped. Rai, you can give him some more of those herbs, if you want.”

I start clinging onto Rai’s leg, my claws drawn, and my fangs bare—ready for the pain.

“Hush now. Chew on some more of these. They will help you.” Rai’s voice is much softer when he speaks to me, and he combs his fingers through my hair and rubs my ears. I take what I am offered but I’m still terrified.

I feel the splint coming untied and then removed—and I scream when my ankle is shifted in any way.

“Yep, it’s definitely broken,” Bardo says, patting my thigh comfortingly.

“ _Please_! Make it _stop_!”

“Chew those leaves, and you, keep him quiet. This is going to hurt. I need to see where exactly it is broken.”

Rai growls low at Bardo and then lowers his face to mine, that piercing blue eye meeting mine firmly.

“You will be fine. You will feel better once the bones are back where they belong. We can’t risk setting the bone incorrectly.”

A nervous sound comes out of my throat.

“Perhaps you’d like to tell me what you were doing in that tree,” Rai murmurs to me.

“This is the result of a fall?” Bardo asks, shifting my foot around slightly, pressing on my toes, and I scream whenever it hurts. “Keep him quiet! I don’t want him disturbing my guests. His voice carries oddly well, doesn’t it?”

“He has a lovely voice,” Rai agrees—the first time he has agreed with the older cat about anything, and it’s about my voice. His lips press against mine—and my next scream is much quieter, absorbed into Rai’s mouth. He puts a hand behind my nape, and opens his mouth a little wider, humming just a little. He continues rubbing my ears, and then pulls away after the next. I just can’t _believe_ he’s doing this in front of another cat! If I weren’t so light-headed and dizzy, I’d protest or try to push him away, but as it is, all I can do is feel my ears blushing. “You’ll feel much better soon.”

“All right—I see that it’s broken in two places. How far did he fall?”

“Maybe twenty feet?”

“This little guy? Shit. Did he break anything else?”

“Um, I don’t think so—”

“Did you do a thorough exam? Rai-chan, I know I taught you better! He’s not as tall as you! He could have other injuries. Let me set his ankle and then we will get to the exam."

“I don’t want you touching him!”

“I didn’t _ask_ what you wanted,” Bardo says. “You’re at my inn now, and you’ll do as I say. Now—get ready. On the count of three.”

Amazingly, that shuts the white cat up for a moment. But then, the tiger starts counting, and I am pressed down against the bench very hard. It feels weird—stifling and suffocating—and I become very nervous. I start resisting, and I manage a small protest.

“What are you—?”

“Hush. Close your eyes and relax,” Rai orders, taking my chin in his hand. A few tears are still leaking from my eyes, and he brushes them away. He turns my head against the bench, pressing my ear against it, and then covers my other one with his hand. He turns to Bardo and orders, “Start again.”

Bardo counts over, more muffled this time. “One, two, three!”

I experience a pain worse than when the bones actually broke when the bones are set—if that is what these cats are actually doing to me. They might just be torturing me, for all I know. I’m terribly upset and I scream out loud, howling at the top of my lungs, my claws extend and hook Rai’s leg—but I’m not exaggerating, and Rai seems to know this.

“All done. Doesn’t it feel a lot better now?” Bardo asks, touching my knee. “The kitten looks absolutely malnourished. I’ve never seen one so small. How old is he?”

“I didn’t ask,” Rai answers, nonchalant.

“How do you know he’s of age? Sweet Ribika—I taught you better than this! Konoe, how old are you?”

“Eighteen,” I manage, as soon as I get my tears under control.

“Nothing to worry about,” Rai says confidently.

“So, you _aren’t_ bringing him back to Karou?” Bardo asks.

“No. Would you?”

“Hell no. But this is _you_ we’re talking about. I just find it rather hard to believe. Why are you keeping him? I have a feeling I know how this, um, _accident_ happened, too.”

Rai doesn’t say anything, but I strain my eyes to look at the tiger.

“Let me guess, kitten. You woke up this morning experiencing something like, er, regret. And you ran off from the camp. It was foggy, and you don’t know your way in the forest. You heard him coming so you climbed the nearest tree. Of course, you don’t know that the best bounty hunters use their sense of smell—and after last night, well, Rai is _never_ going to forget your scent.”

“What?” I ask, feeling a blush creep into my cheeks and my ears. A shiver creeps up my spine. What does last night have to do with _anything_?!

“He gave you a chance to come down, and you refused, so he came up after you. You either climbed higher or worse, out along a branch that wouldn’t hold your weight, and you fell. How does that sound?”

“I-it’s none of your gods damn business,” I hiss. My pain is reduced to a dull throb, entirely below my knee.

“It _is_ my business if you stay here. You need to get some food in your stomach—I bet you haven’t been eating well in your village, right? Did you at least get something last night?”

“Yes!” Both Rai and I growl in unison, and I look away. I can see Rai smirking slightly from where I am lying on the bench. It's irritating!

“You also need a full exam to make sure you haven’t hurt anything else in the fall. Falls from twenty feet can kill a cat your size!”

“I’m fine,” I insist.

“You do and you will get one. But we will do it in private in case guests come here.”

“Why would we need to do it in private?” I ask.

“Because your clothes are coming off,” Rai says cheerfully. “I can help with that.”

“I’m sure you can, but it isn’t necessary,” Bardo says, standing up. My foot feels strangely heavy.

“It is, and I will be. I’m not leaving you alone with him.”

“Fine. I also need to prepare some plaster for a cast. He may want a bath since the cast will stay on for a while—you know where it is, right? Why don’t you help him with that? Gods, he smells like you.”

Rai smirks again and picks me up.

“ _Gently_ , for gods’ sake!” Bardo says. “I’ll be upstairs in five minutes, so that is all the time you have. No funny business out there! He may be injured and you should leave him alone.”

I look at my ankle, and it is wrapped in several layers of gauze and splinted with smooth sticks all around. I feel ill when I look at it—I can’t walk on it. Will it really heal now?

“Of course not,” Rai says, still smirking.

“Leave him alone till after the exam,” Bardo presses.

“I just said I _would_ , stupid old man,” Rai says, but he won’t wipe the smirk off his face.

“I don’t need help with bathing,” I say as I am swept out of the dining room.

“Yes, you do.”

“I don’t.”

“I say you do, and I will help you,” Rai says confidently, carrying me out to the backyard. There’s a small enclosed cabin there, which he enters, setting me down gently. “Ready?”

“Yes. I will call you in five minutes when I’m done here!” I growl.

“Like hell.” Rai pulls my shirt off overhead, leaving my top naked and shivering. “I don’t know how you thought you would survive a winter in the elements in these. You are going to _freeze_.”

“I will freeze if you don’t leave me alone!” I growl again.

“Fine. Go ahead. Do it yourself. Show me how independent you are.”

I struggle with my pants—and I can’t get them off over the splint. I wiggle and wiggle the leg, and it will _not_ come off. Rai is gracious enough to watch silently for about a full minute before he interrupts.

“You are a _ridiculously_ stupid cat.”

I see he has pulled a dagger from behind him, and I flinch away, but I can't escape.

“N-no! What are you d-?”

“Hush. This is for the fabric.”

He slices through the fabric with the dagger—right at the seam of the leg—so it easily is removed. But also, now my only pair of pants are ruined.

“You’ve ruined them!” I hiss.

“You won’t be wearing them for a while anyway. It won’t be your primary _function_ while we are staying here.”

Function? What _function_? I shrink away from his tone, eyeing him with suspicion.

“Do you still want my help?” He gives me a rather wicked grin. "You've gotten terribly disrespectful since this morning."

“Ah—uh—um—I thought you said you weren’t going to punish me?”

“I’m not—for breaking your leg. If you can’t shape up this attitude, I may find some proper training is in order.”

“ _Please_!”

Lowering his voice, he drops his lips to my ear. “Meaning? You want it with my gloves on?”

I blush from my chest to my ears—as I’m sitting in my underwear—and damn him, I get hard when he even _mentions_  those damned gloves! To make it worse, as I am staring down at my naked but splinted ankle, I see one of those gloved hands come out and lift up my chin.

“Do you?”

My body shimmers with goosebumps at the sudden sexy tone of his voice. He should not be speaking of punishments in such a sexy way! It isn’t fair! I stick my bottom lip out in a pout, and he brushes his thumb against it.

“Go on. Finish up and get in. Or do you want my help? The old man will come out here and bang on the door anytime he likes, so it would behoove you to move quickly.”

“I’m not doing anything untoward!” I sputter.

“Oh no? What’s this then?” His glove flattens onto my chest and moves down my stomach, approaching my waist. Well, he noticed my strange affiliation for leather, I guess. I’m _mortified_.

“It’s not like I can help it!”

“I know that. That’s why I like it. It means you must really like me, don’t you? Are you going to let me help you? You’re probably still a little sticky from last night, aren’t you?”

That is _his_ fault—nothing I did! I try wiggling out of my underwear, and the elegant white cat sighs softly.

“Come on, then.”

He easily holds me up with one hand and strips off my underwear with another—I try _so_ hard not to think about his gloves when he does that!—then lowers me into the bathwater. It’s freezing, and thank gods that helps my current ailment—but it’s clean and clear. He soaps up my back, perhaps going a little lower than my back as well.

“Shall I wash your hair as well?”

“Mmm.” At this point, he’s going to do as he likes. I think he’s taken off his gloves, and I feel his fingers massaging my hair into a nice lather. He brings the lather down to my tail as well, combing it through with his claws. I try not to think about it—but that’s like trying to ignore someone who is obviously trying to make his presence known.

As soon as I’m rinsed, he wraps me in a towel—surprisingly carefully—and carries me back inside.

“Which room?” Rai barks at Bardo again.

“Ah—here’s the key. The last door on the right, end of the hall. He seems like a noisy one.”

“He is, _delightfully_ so,” Rai says, that same proud smirk on his face. I blush even redder at his remark, and I’m pissed.

“Gods damn it,” Bardo murmurs. “I’ll be up in a minute. Don’t even _think_ about doing anything before his leg is in a cast. I don’t care if he _is_ naked!”

I watch the tiger head back into the kitchen rather helplessly as I am carried up the stairs. We pass several rooms with two single beds in them—and I am shocked when the door opens to the one we are staying in—a large double bed is sitting right in the middle of the room.

“Where is your bed?” I ask, honestly surprised.

“What do you mean? You’re lying on it,” Rai says, setting his gloves down and unbuckling his sword and dagger.

“Do I have a separate room?”

“Of course not. I’ll make room for you right here.” Rai pats the bed next to me, showing me his teeth instead of just that annoying smirk. "You know, sharing body heat and all."

“I’ll tell Bardo—I’ll tell him _everything_!” I say, grabbing at straws.

“What will you tell him? That I sucked you off? That I was your very _first_ experience? That you _loved_ it? Oh, maybe about your affinity for leather and, well, pain? You do know that mating season is just around the corner, and you’re going to be very glad you’ve got me, you know.”

“No!” I blush fiercely. “I am _not_ glad! This is _all_ your fault! None of this would have happened if not for you!”

“Actually, you only have yourself to blame. And I think I am the best-case scenario for you. That old man knows what I do for a living, and he’s shocked I didn’t bring you back to your village for the ransom—how do they kill their sacrifices, by the way? You could have had a run-in with a much crueler bounty hunter than me, too—who might sell you to a brothel and make you work off an enormous debt. Perhaps he'd sell you off for fresh meat?”

Rai lies down on the bed next to me, pulling off his boots, grinning.

“The fuck?! He _condones_ this?!”

“Well, you did break the law in your village, didn’t you? What did you think would happen?”

“The law was unreasonable! They wanted my land, my property, my—”

“Shut up. You’re too noisy,” Rai whispers, pulling my nape in close and kissing me on the lips. And I don’t resist! Why am I not resisting him?! It’s making me so angry that I growl and I bite his lip as he pulls away. “Oh, ho. Do you really want to go that route? Because I like that route—a _lot_.”

He rolls onto his stomach now, gathers me up carefully in his arms and nips my bottom lip as hard as I bit him. It isn’t that hard, but it still hurts, and I hiss.

I bite his tongue, and he smiles.

“I could get used to this. You’re full of surprises. Want me to put my gloves back on or save it for later?”

“ _Stop_ it!” I hiss.

There’s a knock at the door and Rai doesn’t move away from me but still says, “Come!”

I blush deeply—my entire body heats up—when he kisses me again, in front of whoever has just walked into the room. Kissing me is one thing, and I can fight him off. But I cannot bring myself to bite him when someone else is watching since I am afraid he may become more aroused and bite me back, and then _I_ might become more aroused. What is my problem?! I am so ashamed!

“All right, what did I just say?! Jeez. Just _wait_ ,” Bardo sighs, walking around to my side of the bed. “Feel better after your bath? I’m going to put your ankle in a plaster cast, which will stay on for a while—a few weeks at least—you’re still growing so you may not need it the full six weeks.”

“Okay,” I say, keeping my eyes lowered and my voice soft.

“Then, I’d like to examine you to make sure you didn’t suffer from any other injuries.”

I sigh—loudly, and Rai laughs.

“I couldn’t send him back! I swear,” he says to Bardo. “You wouldn’t be able to, either. Plus he smells nice.”

“I’d agree with you, there, I suppose.” Bardo gets to work on my leg, wrapping the wet gauze around and around. It's covered in plaster, and it feels disgusting.

“Won’t it itch?” I ask. It’s itching _already_.

“Yes. It will probably itch. Do _not_ stick anything down the cast. You’ll have to find something to distract yourself.” Bardo looks at Rai. “I think this guy will probably help you. Especially in the next few days or so.”

Rai’s smile widens. He’s lying next to me on the bed, staring at me, showing me two straight rows of perfect teeth. Irritating—and sexy at the same time. I’m pissed. I say nothing.

“You’re so cute when you’re angry,” Rai murmurs.

“All right—now, let’s see about the rest of you.” Bardo strips off the towel I’m wearing, and I bristle in surprise, catching it with my claws.

“N-no!” I protest.

“It’s fine. I’m not going to hurt you,” Bardo says calmly, detaching my claws from the towel.

“Please—just—I am fine—I don’t need anything else. I’m tired.”

“You really want me to leave you alone with him?” Bardo raises his eyebrows and nods his chin in the direction of the white cat. I flatten my ears and shoot Bardo a helpless look. “Okay, then.” He drops the towel at my waist, letting it cover me modestly, while he starts poking around my neck, turning my head left and right, up and down. And then he feels my neck and throat.

His hands move down to my chest, where they palpate each rib.

“I’m fine—tch!” I hiss when he touches a sore spot.

“What—this one?” Bardo repeats the touch. “It hurts?”

“Yes! _Stop_!” I say desperately.

“Ah. It could be bruised or broken—but for ribs, there’s nothing to be done. Try not to spoil it too much or you could hurt your back by favoring that side. It should heal on its own.”

Why didn’t I notice before?

His hands keep moving down my body, to my hips, and he moves the towel for a moment.

“You’re shy, aren't you?”

“N-not really,” I say, blushing shyly, and I hear Rai try to muffle his laughter.

“Cute. All right, then,” Bardo looks at my face again, giving me what I suppose is an encouraging smile. And then, he lets his hands wander again. They travel down my legs, feeling each joint, and he even pulls on my toes. He repeats the process with my arms. “Let’s turn him over then.”

“Why?! I don’t think—”

“It _is_ necessary,” Bardo says, and then gasps. “Look at that. This is the sore rib, isn’t it? Did you fall on a branch?”

“Ouch!” I yell, when he touches my back. Why didn’t I notice in the bath?

“It’s terribly bruised, and your body will probably show a little more than most since your skin is so pale. Sorry about that.” Then, speaking to Rai, “Try to be gentle with him. You can’t be pressing your weight against him.”

“I know that, obviously,” Rai clicks his tongue in annoyance. I feel soft, slender fingers—not Bardo’s—touching my back and the sore rib—but running over my skin lightly. It doesn’t hurt. I know that is Rai touching me. I turn my face away from him in annoyance since my body doesn’t seem to mind his touch so much. It irritates me.

“Does it hurt if you breath deeply?” Bardo asks.

I try to take a deep breath.

“A little, but not bad.”

“Make sure you keep your deep breathing going—some cats catch pneumonia when they take shallow breaths to keep pain from a broken rib under control.”

“Okay,” I murmur. Tears spill from my eyes. _Pneumonia_?

I feel his hands tracing my spine carefully, and then my hip bones. He spends an awful lot of time on my hips, in fact. It’s embarrassing. Then, to my horror, I feel his broad fingers feeling out the fur of my tail.

“Do you have to…?”

“Yes. This isn’t new, is it?” Bardo is asking about the hooked end of my tail.

I shiver when he touches it.

“Ah, you can feel in it!”

“Well, can’t you?” I ask, irritatedly.

“Well, yes. Sorry. It’s interesting. I’m just making sure you haven’t broken anything else. Twenty feet is a long drop for someone your size.”

I flick my tail away from him, and it falls right into Rai’s hands. He is very gentle with my tail, combing through the fur, and he starts to groom it.

“Uwaa!” I shout. “What are you doing?”

“I’m grooming you,” Rai says simply. “Isn’t it obvious? It’s meant to calm you. You liked it last night.” I can feel him smirking from the way his lips curve against the fur. I don't even have to look.

“Shut up,” I mutter. And I feel Bardo’s hands tracing my legs.

“He’s probably quite sensitive—and small—if I were you I would have waited.”

“Hmph,” Rai grumbles contemptuously. "You’re a liar, old man.”

“Just—groom him afterward. Especially during the season. And for gods’ sake, don’t _hurt_ him in here. And watch the noise. This is not a brothel. And he needs to eat. It will encourage healing. He’s thin as a board. Bring him down for a supper or I will come up and interrupt you. You know it doesn't bother me.”

“Whatever. Pervert.”

Bardo gets up and leaves.

“So you have to wait for a while for the plaster to dry. You’re to keep your ankle elevated for about 48 hours in the meantime.”

Rai flips me back onto my back and shoves a few pillows under my ankle, then he grabs my tail again. I’m still completely naked. I want to get dressed.

“What about my clothes?”

“You won’t be going anywhere. Why do you need clothes?”

“Well, for dinner?”

“I’ll bring it up for you.”

I am silent, obviously upset.

“I’m sorry about your rib. Do you want more leaves to chew? They may help you.”

“I’m fine.”

“We should ice your back. It will help ease your pain.”

“It will be too cold.”

“That’s the idea, stupid cat. It numbs the pain.”

He isn’t being very kind. I sigh heavily.

“Whatever.”

“You have been terribly disrespectful since the incident this morning. Do you think I won’t punish you for running away from me?”

My ears flatten against my skull.

“But... I’m already injured.”

“And Bardo noticed the welts on your ass, too. He knows that this morning was not your first escape attempt. He’s expecting it.”

I’m actually horrified. He _saw_? Shit. Another adult saw those welts? Fuck. I can’t very well wipe the blush from my face, but I can play it off like it doesn’t matter. So I’m brave about it. Well, either brave or direct or stupid. Or all of the above.

“What? You’re going to _spank_ me? Now?”

“I think you might like it rather too much if I did. So I’m at a loss.”

I stare at the white cat in shock. It’s a _lie_. It has to be a lie. I don't _like_ it when it spanks me. It makes me feel weird, but I don't  _like_ it. I  _hate_ it. But if I let him believe it, maybe he won’t whip me again.

“I saw your reaction to my gloves earlier. So, now I have to find some other way to… encourage your obedience.”

“Encourage my obedience? Is that what you were doing?” I am flabbergasted and cannot keep the disgust from my voice.

“Perhaps something that would make you beg for a spanking instead?”

A shiver ruffles through my fur. Why does he have this effect on me? I _hate_ it.

“That’s disgusting. Stop talking like that—it’s _vulgar_.”

“I don’t think so. I think it’s a perfectly natural reaction. I rather like it.” He is smirking at me again. “For now, let me get you so more medicine. And why don’t you give your own discipline some thought? What do you think would encourage you to obey?”

Rai gets up from the bed, ruffling the fur on my ear, and then leaning down and licking each one in turn before he leaves. I realize—even after my bath—he leaves his scent on me. It's not a bad smell. Quite distracting, but not bad. I’m not sure what to do about it, though. What does he even _want_ with me?


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Konoe thinks now would be the perfect time to try and make an escape. It doesn't go well.
> 
> Triggers: Teasing, embarrassment, shame, humiliation, excessive sexual teasing and orgasm delay/denial, dubious con activities--well, non-con turned dub con.

Lying in the bed with my foot in a cast, I feel utterly helpless. I know the bounty hunter told me to stay put, but my friend Tokino lives in this city. If I could find him, he would help me. I could get away from this unbelievable mess.

After waiting for an hour or so, I pull myself up out of bed. The herbs I’ve been chewing have lessened the pain in my ankle, but the cast is really heavy. I can’t find any clothes in this room. I wonder if Rai threw my clothes away, which makes me nervous. So I wrap a towel around my body and limp to the door, dragging the cast, heading out to the hallway. It takes a long time and all my energy, plus the damn towel keeps sliding off my hips but I make it to the top of the stairs. From there, I sit down, lowering myself one step at a time.

“Oy!” A low voice calls out to me. “What are you doing? I told you to keep that foot elevated! You may swell if you don't.” It’s the tiger. He’s behind the reception desk, but he gets up and walks up the stairs, scooping me up without batting an eye. He starts walking me back up the stairs after all the work it took to bring myself to this point. I'm utterly devastated!

“Please!” I beg, grabbing onto his shirt. He is wearing a strange shirt for the season—it hangs open slightly, exposing his chest, and I accidentally touch his skin when I grab his shirt. But I really don’t want to wait upstairs. I’ve worked so hard to get here. “ _Please_! Don’t take me back upstairs!”

“What’s the matter? Are you hungry?”

“Um...” I wonder exactly what I was thinking. Did I really think this was a good idea? I was going to be hopping around town in nothing but a towel? I don’t know anything about this city, nor do I even know Tokino’s dad’s name; only that he’s a merchant. “Y-yes." 

“You weigh as much as that cast. Come on, then. I’ll get some meat on these bones. But you’re elevating your foot while you wait.”

Sighing softly, Bardo carries me back downstairs and heads into the kitchen. It’s filled with all kinds of equipment I’ve never seen before and more food than I have ever seen in my life. 

“Are you rich?” I ask, amazed.

The tiger laughs, putting me down on a bench and raising my cast up underneath a cushion in front of me.

“Nah, I just make a good living here. Is your village still recovering? From shortages?”

“Y-yes,” I say, still amazed.

I’m handed a cup of tea with milk and honey. It’s good, slightly floral. I watch as the tiger chops vegetables and fruit, and then he starts to fry some meat in a pan. The fire under the pan frightens me, but it smells good enough to make my mouth water.

“Gods, I can’t _believe_ him,” Bardo murmurs, casting me a sideways glance. “I don’t blame him, of course. But still.” He shakes his head. 

Some moments pass, during which I sit quietly, listening to the sizzling of the pan, and I finally ask, “You must deal with many merchants here to keep your supplies so well-stocked.”

The tiger looks at me in a downright suspicious manner. I lower my ears in response. 

“What?” I ask. 

“Out with it. What do you _really_ want to ask?”

“Oh, I’m, um—it’s nothing important.” I look away from his powerful gaze. Shit—he’s going to _make_ me talk like Rai does. Maybe it’s some special skill this large breed has? Maybe they grew up together and their village taught them this skill? 

“I didn’t _ask_ if it was important, kitten.” His voice is suddenly much closer than expected, and my ears bristle. I can’t escape. “I asked what you _really_ wanted to know.” 

“I’m looking for a friend,” I mutter, not knowing what else to do. I've always been a terrible liar, and I'm terrible at making up stories on the fly.

“Oh? And you were going to go out into the streets of Ransen dressed like _that_? In a towel? And unable to walk? After Rai told you to stay put? Do you have a death wish?” 

I blush slightly, pulling my knees together and examine my cast like it's the most interesting thing I've ever seen. 

“I couldn’t find my clothes, and I need to find my friend.” 

“Is this a _different_ friend from your new silver-haired companion?"

“He is _not_ my friend!” I snap, and Bardo glares down at me. That glare makes me flinch. 

“He _isn’t_? So... tell me. What you did with him last night, then: do you do that with _casual_ acquaintances, too? Like, say, as casual as _me_?” His voice has taken on a surprising lascivious tone.

My skin crawls in revulsion and my tail bristles widely. My fangs bare and I draw my claws, but I hide my hands and I look down to hide my fangs.

“That was—I wasn’t—it w-was a m- _mistake_!” I growl, but my stammering gives away how very flustered I am. My ears are hot and my cheeks are flushed.

“So you want to make the same mistake with me, then? I’d _love_ to be your friend if that’s what you need.” The tiger’s tone is more playful than lecherous now though it still embarrassed me. “I’m pretty sure Rai-chan would not agree. He groomed you after the bath to leave his scent on you, didn’t he?”

Ignoring his words, my ears burn even hotter. “The person I’m looking for—his father is a merchant. They are both orange tabbies with blue eyes. His name is Tokino.”

Right after I say his name, I realize that may not have been smart. Because now, Bardo will know where to look for me as soon as I escape. Even if he doesn’t know Tokino, he may tell Rai and that cat will almost certainly be able to find me.

“Orange tabbies are quite common in this city,” Bardo says neutrally. “Do you owe him money?”

“No!”

“Perhaps it is a _deeper_ relationship than friendship?” His tone borders on teasing. 

“No!” I feel myself growing flustered again.

“Kitten, this is starting to feel like 20 Questions.”

I sigh, giving up. Utterly frustrated, I drink the rest of my tea in two gulps and set the mug down on the bench with a bang. Within a few moments, I start feeling slightly weird. 

"Hou? You drank that pretty fast,” Bardo says, lifting up an eyebrow. “I probably should have given you some food first to, er, absorb some of that.”

“Absorb? Absorb _what_? Why?” But the edges of my vision turn gray and fuzzy, my vision shakes. 

“Well, shit. Just lie down, right where you are,” Bardo suggests.

"N-no! Wh-what did you give me?” I feel very nervous like I do _not_ want to be alone with this tiger—not when I’m this vulnerable. But really, wasn’t I equally vulnerable the moment he caught me coming down the stairs? This was a _stupid_ idea. I feel _really_ stupid. Sure, maybe I was a little desperate but I _have_ to start using my brain.

“Lie down,” Bardo says again. “Or I will make you. Or—do you want to go somewhere more _comfortable_?” 

“N-no,” I stutter. “P-please—I’m just looking for my friend—”

“And your _friend_ is _out_ right now, running all over town looking for medicine to help keep you comfortable and heal your ankle, which you so stupidly broke after running away from him!” 

“N-no,” I say again, defiant. I want to say that it’s _Rai’s_ fault for chasing me, _his_ fault for making me feel strange—but I do not _belong_ to the silver cat! I won’t be his slave, or Sanga, or bed warmer, or whatever he is looking for! I don’t belong to my village, either! No one can tell me what to do—especially not some old tiger who secretly drugged me with something. 

He approaches suddenly, grabbing my body much more gently than I expect. I flinch, expecting him to be rough—I even ready myself for pain—especially in my ribs, which are a lot worse than they were before my ankle was set. Maybe I can only feel extreme pain in one part of my body at a time? My breathing picks up and my heart starts to race loudly in my ears. But he doesn’t hurt me.

“Don’t touch—”

“Yeah, yeah. And what are you going to do about it, huh?” He lowers my now completely helpless body down to the bench and raises up my ankle by folding the pillow beneath the cast in half. My fur bristles, I hiss and bare my fangs, and Bardo chuckles. “Did you do that to the silver cat? No wonder he’s smitten with you.”

Smitten? That guy is reckless and mean—he is not... _smitten_! But I can’t say anything else. I can’t move, I can’t speak. I wonder—if that is really true, though—he has been helpful and almost kind. Those are my last conscious thoughts before I drift off into a restless sleep. 

* * *

When I wake, I find myself back upstairs in the room, the moon of shadow streaming into the window. I start when I first wake, realizing where I am, my ribs aching and sore. Maybe _now_ would be a better time to escape, I think—except that there’s a suffocatingly heavy blanket surrounding me. What did they do? Restrain me and tie me up in a blanket? 

Then my ears flick back. The blanket is moving. Subtly. I feel bare skin touching my back and the attached body is subtly moving up and down, taking deep, even breaths. 

 _Shit_. It’s the silver cat, surrounding me, having draped both arms around my chest heavily—and my ribs are _killing_ me. He needs to get off me! 

I try moving the arm that is pressing against my sore rib, and my fur all stands up at once when his low voice tickles my ear.

“Ah, are you awake?”

“You’re _hurting_ me!” I protest in a heated whisper. “Get off!” 

“Oh? Are you feeling eager again so soon? That surprises me, kitten.” His husky tone makes the hair on the back of my neck prickle, and a subtle shiver flows down my spine. My response surprises me, but I’m instantly filled with irritation. I clench my teeth. What has he _done_ to me?!

“Move your arm!” I insist, pushing against it with all my might. “ _Please_! It's hurting my rib!”

The arm moves, sliding a little lower, wrapping around my waist. 

“I hear you disobeyed me while I was out. _Again_.” His voice is soft and gentle, calm but tinged with anticipation. It makes me respond—my _body_ responds, anyway. More saliva collects in my mouth than I know what to do with. 

I _hate_ not being in control of my own body. It’s frustrating and it makes me feel powerless like I can’t resist his advances. His hot breath huffs on my neck, and another shiver courses through me. This shiver feels warmer, and my body reacts below the waist, and a growling, wet purr rumbles behind me and resounds deep in my bones. It ruffles through my fur like a wave—and _damn_ it, it feels _good_. I let out a small gasp and sigh, despite my best efforts to keep my lips closed. 

“You’re excited, aren’t you? Good. It’ll make discipline much easier.” 

“D-discipline?” A breathless word echoes from my lips. I didn’t mean to speak—his words sound vulgar and dirty, and his deep voice makes the fur deep in my ears quiver. Just as that thought rushes through my head, my ear is licked. Rai's rough tongue squelches in my ear, making my body jump, but it doesn’t make me pull away, much to my shame.

“Unless—you did what I asked and thought of an alternative.” The husky voice continues breathing deep in my ear, licking occasionally. 

“What alternative?” A desperate self-loathing is rising within my chest—all because I really _don’t_ hate how he is touching me and how he is treating me! 

“That’s what I thought. I asked you to come up with something that would motivate you, encourage your obedience. I’ll assume you haven’t?”

I respond with a low growl, baring fangs—which does nothing to calm him down. I know very well that my aggressive behavior will only entice the monster currently sharing my bed.

“I’m _injured_!” I sputter.

“Oh, I know. And yet I found you downstairs in the kitchen when I returned after being told specifically to rest with your leg up for 48 hours.”

I squirm slightly—in discomfort, and not only from the ache in my ankle. I’m _not_ going to admit what I was doing down there. If he finds out I was trying to escape, he will be _pissed_.

“The old man says you were looking for a friend? A son of a merchant? Do you want me to find him for you? Perhaps you haven’t realized it yet, but I’m pretty talented when it comes to finding people.” 

“N-no,” I stammer, flustered that he knows what I was trying to do. “Well, y-yes?” What would he do to Tokino if he found him and brought him here? I’d be mortified to have my friend see me like this, and I wonder if that is the point Rai is trying to make.

“Well, which is it?” His hand caresses my waistline underneath the blanket, and the soft touch against my bare skin startles me. I still haven’t been given anything to wear, so I’m quite naked. 

“I don’t know,” I lower my ears and my voice.

The hand caressing me reaches my hips and abdomen, moving slowly, flattening to connect as much surface with my skin as possible. I make a feeble attempt to push his hands away. It tickles, but, shockingly, I _want_ to feel his touch—so much—so I don’t try very hard, and my efforts end half-way, and they don’t discourage his movement at all.

“Hmph. So, here’s what _you_ are going to do, my injured kitten.” His voice is very calm and low, but somehow that tone only increases his control over me. The sound makes my ears twitch, and not only because his breath tickles the fur inside my ear. “You are going to stay still and keep your foot elevated like you were told.” 

That is all he says and anxiety rises in my chest, feeling like it’s coming up my throat and into my mouth. I taste something like fear on my tongue when he shifts his body onto his side and pushes me onto my back. In the dim moonlight, his pale face and shimmering hair, which skates across my body, reflects clearly in my vision as he pulls off the blankets. I sit up, trying to grab the blanket to cover myself, my tail fluffing out defensively in front of my body.

“W-wait— _please_ —What are you—?”

“Hush.” He pushes a hand on my chest and gently lowers me back to the bed. “Don’t make this worse for yourself than it already is, kitten. Didn’t I just tell you not to move?”

A defeated whimper escapes my mouth—and I am overcome with anxiety, but a thrilling sensation floods my body at the same time. I don’t _want_ to submit, but my body is betraying me. He pulls away the blanket again and tears burn the corners of my eyes. As I drop my gaze, I notice a small bruise on his shoulder, and my ears fill with heat. I did that. I bit him—last night—while he was taking me. I lower my gaze completely.

Sitting up for a moment, he carefully props my cast up underneath a pillow. There is a strange tenderness in his movements—when he handles my cast and my leg—and a tear slips out, coursing down my cheek. But I remain on the bed, on my back, watching him, compliant for now. His hands creep up to just above the cast, resting on my knee, caressing the skin gently.

“Are you sore here?” His hands rub my knee more firmly—and my gods, it feels amazing. My knee is really, really sore—like a pool of pain is puddled there—and he massages it gently at first and increases the pressure gradually. 

“Um, yeah,” I murmur softly. I sigh and melt into the touch of his hand—it feels really nice—and I forget my discomfort, closing my eyes and letting myself slip into relaxation. However, it lasts for only a little while, since that other hand creeps up the inside of my thigh, which is both ticklish and not at the same time. I press my legs together—or try to—but my hips are pressed against the bed. 

“I told you to stay still,” Rai’s low voice rumbles in my ear, followed immediately by his tongue. I tip my head against my shoulder to try to escape the touch. It’s stimulating but not unpleasant.

Now, the hand at my knee moves along the outside of my thigh, along with the hand in between my legs, and what? He expects me to just lie still? I can’t—my hands move up to protect myself, and they are grabbed firmly by the hand on the outside of my leg.

“You are really _not_ very compliant. I’m trying to teach you a lesson here—something to encourage your obedience—and you will not cooperate. Just _submit_.”

My hands are pulled over my head and held there, which makes my chest and belly feel oddly exposed, and I start to sweat. Another small protest comes out of my mouth, and the hand between my legs sweeps up suddenly, brushing the sensitive skin along the inside of my thigh and hip—at the crease there—then traveling out to my hipbone. Then it caresses the soft fur below my navel and I quiver, pushing my back against the mattress in an attempt to escape, my tail trembling. The toes of my left foot curl into the mattress and my knee starts to bend, sliding my functioning left foot up along the mattress, and apparently, I am allowed that movement. 

Another strange sound leaks from my mouth and my lips are suddenly taken. I don’t see him coming—my eyes are squeezed shut—and I bristle in surprise. I intend to bite his lip, but his tongue invades me too quickly and too strongly to resist, brushing the back of my throat and eliciting my own purr.

What the hell?! I’m _purring_? _Why_? I don’t understand!

No, I _do_ understand. I understand _completely_. Honestly, I _enjoy_ this touch and attention. It feels good—it makes me feel attractive and desired and wanted. It's something I never knew I was missing, this strange caress and connection. My body trembles beneath his fingers and my hands are released from overhead. I dig my fingers into the long strands of silver hair, drawing my claws to comb through them gently, touching the soft fur on his strange rounded ears, longing to groom them but not being able to reach.

Both his hands skate down my chest, brushing my nipples and making me gasp into his mouth, back down to my navel and to the fur below—and then—my tail is moved aside roughly, so he can palm my erect cock, which is already dripping. Using my own fluids as lubrication, the motion is smooth and gentle, and incredibly arousing and utterly tempting. 

An absolutely lewd-sounding moan leaks from my mouth just as he pulls his mouth away when he squeezes the tip of my cock gently, tripling the pleasure at my waist and increasing my desire. A strange mewling sound escapes—I can’t stop myself. It feels so _good_!

I close my eyes in embarrassment—my ears are heating up, my cheeks flush—and I am ashamed of this lewd display. My hips jolt excessively—because, before last night, I’ve had no real experience. But I want more—I long for a slightly firmer touch and more stimulation—but it isn’t coming. My left knee falls open to the side—a surprisingly lewd and suggestive gesture—and a strange sound escapes my mouth. It sounds a lot like a plea.

“ _Please_...”

But the stimulation stays exactly the same—slow, gentle touches—rhythmic movements, slowing down and lightening the more excited I become, and I start to sweat and become even more aroused. A feeling like an electrical impulse shoots from the base of my tail through my hips and groin when the tip of my tail is pinched and then licked. I meow and bristle my fur to show my pleasure. 

But I want more—No. I _need_ more.

“Please,” I whisper again softly, more urgently this time. But nothing changes. If anything, Rai’s caresses become even slower, increasing my arousal even further. It has the strange effect of making the rest of my body overly sensitive. When I hear his breath tickling my ear, or feel that rough tongue, my body jerks, and my hips thrust up. I want to act out shamefully, and I feel so vulgar!

“Please! Ah!” I beg again, interrupted when the tip of my cock is teased directly, and his thumb presses into the tip. That strange meow escapes my mouth, and all the fur on my body stands on end. An uncomfortable pulling sensation stretches from my groin through my abdomen, and I growl. 

I’m overcome with impatience and eventually, that impatience overrides my shame and pride. When the urging of my hands on his body, the stroking of my tail against his arm and fluffy tail, and my functioning flailing leg all fail to catch his attention, I finally overcome my shyness.

“Please—Rai— _please_ —I need more! This is... this is _torture_! Please!”

“Is it? Really?” His voice whispers in my ear, sending a lovely wave of pleasure sparking down my spine and into my chest, and even that sound pools in my waist. “ _Torture_ , you think? Would you rather have a spanking, then?”

Though I can’t stop my body from responding to his ministrations, my ears flatten. I suddenly realize what he is doing: _this_ is his “discipline”! He is actually trying to torture me! 

I struggle to sit up but am pressed back to the bed firmly, and I feel his lips against my collarbone. I feel fangs against my skin—Rai is biting me there. It should be painful since he is biting nearly hard enough to break the skin—but it isn’t. Or perhaps even the pain becomes pleasurable in my current state, and another vulgar sound escapes my mouth. 

I can’t _stand_ all the noise I’m making, either—it’s embarrassing—but I can’t help it. The small room is colored by soft gasps and sighs—sounds of pleas and desperation. And now I start to fear that he isn't going to  _let_ me come.

Keeping me pressed to the bed with his strong arms, Rai raises his body up over mine, meeting my gaze with that pale blue eye. He has a soft, sexy smile on his face—and an expression of absolute _triumph_. It raises my fur in ire, but I can’t do _anything_. I growl in response, but it comes out wet and lewd, and it makes his pupil dilate—and that only makes me more aroused!

He lowers his face to my neck, leaving a trail of nips, licks, and kisses down the length of my throat—and I can’t help myself—though my mind doesn’t want to submit, I _refuse to submit—_ the words I mean to spill from my mouth are “no, no, no!”—but my chin lifts of its own accord and my torso and belly are relaxed and exposed to him in the most submissive posture they can take. He has conquered my body and I cannot regain control of it!

Then I hear my voice—and I realize I am not actually saying what I mean to be saying. I mean to shout my refusal. But instead, the room is filled with sweet sighs, gasping breaths, halted stuttering, and my voice. And to my utter horror, I hear myself _begging_.

“Please— _please_ —more!”

When I realize what is going on, and that is _my_ voice doing all that excessive begging and desperate pleading, a rush of goosebumps shivers across my entire body, and a flash of anger flows through me—and that _too_ adds to my arousal, pooling at my waist. What has he done to me?!

I think I should feel humiliated and angry—having been forced to make such an indecent display in front of such a dignified cat—but I can’t actually bring myself to feel those feelings, and then I feel guilty because I don’t feel those things. Instead, all I want is to be touched more—to be caressed more firmly, to be kissed harder, and to find an outlet for all this pleasure pooling inside me.

“Gods— _please_!”

“You have such a beautiful voice, kitten,” Rai purrs softly. His face is dangerously close to my hips, and he licks just the tip of my cock. A violent shudder rattles my body, shaking the bed. “Now, I wonder how much more of this we will have to do before you submit.” 

“I s- _submit_!” I cry, thrusting my hips up. “Please—I will do _anything_ you want! Just _please_...” 

My entire body is shaking—not just trembling, but actually shaking—and saliva is dripping from the corners of my mouth. My eyes are open wide, pupils dilated, and I can feel every strand of silky silver hair brushing against my legs. Even those minuscule touches send rushing pleasure to my hips and groin. My dick strains painfully—and Rai suddenly takes his hand away. I’m left quivering and close to sobbing. 

“Please! N-no— _please_ —n-not like th-this—I-I w-would r-rather...”

I can’t believe my ears, but I _know_ what I am about to say. The silver cat glances up at my words suddenly, his pale blue eye glittering.

“You would rather _what_?” That voice—brushing me like silk—deep inside my ears, it makes me tremble and shiver. I can’t control my body, and tears finally overflow. 

“I would rather have a spanking,” I whisper, my voice hoarse with desire—beyond desperate.

“I’m sure that’s the case, but it didn’t work last time. So why do you think it will work now?”

Then—it occurs to me—he might actually spank me—like _,_ _right now_. What if he pulled me over his lap and spanked my ass—hard—right now? My breath catches suddenly in a loud gasp—and his pupil dilates again before it contracts, and his facial expression changes to a wicked smile. It’s like he is reading my thoughts. 

“P-please—I-i w-will d-do wh-whatever you w-want.” It feels like my teeth are chattering. “J-just _please_...”

My hands skate down my chest to my belly—and I am tempted to take myself in my own hands and jerk myself off, just to relieve myself of this excessive tension and slowly building desire. In fact, the thought of him watching me makes my fur bristle, and my fingers feel strange against my body—weirdly good—and I brush the fur below my belly gently, my ears blushing shamefully, just before my hands are grabbed and pulled away.

“No, I don’t think so. I’m pretty sure _that_ is against the rules,” Rai smiles softly. “Though I cannot believe you—the innocent, shy kitten you are—were tempted to touch yourself in front of me. Maybe _that_ could be your punishment.” 

My fur bristles again and I shake my head. 

“N-no, _please_!” I sound so desperate, and another strange meow escapes. I notice his expression softens just a little whenever that strange meow comes out of my mouth. I don’t usually meow—but now I can’t seem to help it. I've never heard another adult cat meow, so I wonder if it's weird. I lower my eyes and my voice to a whisper. “Please—s-spank m-me instead.”

“Oh?” He waits for a moment, not replying further. So I raise my gaze to his face again. He appears to be watching me. That strong gaze captures me and makes even my nipples tingle, and I blush when I realize that is the sensation I have.

“ _Please_.” Not knowing what else to do, I repeat my plea, and another shiver of pleasure rushes through my body when he brushes against me with his hands. It doesn’t matter now where he touches me—as long as I can feel his touch. “I-I j-just want to feel your hands on me.”

That pale blue eye darkens suddenly, and I see large, pearl white fangs extend from beneath his plush lips—those lips I want to feel against my skin so very, very much.

“Would you be satisfied with my mouth?”

“Eh?” I ask in surprise, and then a keening, loud meow escapes as he sinks my cock into his mouth. Though he is really only touching me with his mouth, my entire body feels like it is melting, coming completely undone. I cannot restrain my voice and something inside my chest breaks open. My breath picks up and my heart aches. My ears ring and I growl low.

What is this feeling? Something warm glows inside my body—something deep in my soul—and something is... it’s flowing out of me. It’s the song again.

_Take me—I am yours._

I’m shocked at the feeling—it’s utter and complete submission to this white cat, and I close my eyes and listen. Pleasure crashes around inside my body—like water overflowing a dam—and to my surprise, I hear a soft, gentle melody—but it’s crystal clear. It rattles my bones, vibrates my flesh, and makes my fur quiver and my skin tremble. 

It feels good—to sing and to submit.

 _I surrender everything to you._  

That is what the song says. I open my eyes and the room, previously dimly lit by the pale moonlight, is frightfully bright. My body is glowing, slim tendrils of light extend from me and wrap around Rai at my waist, making his hair shine with a warm, golden sparkle. He glances up at me, his face a mix of surprise and pleasure. His eye glitters with the trace a smile and I let go, falling over the edge into my long-awaited and much-anticipated climax.

My mind is filled with that song—and the pleasure that has been building and building in my body finally has its outlet and escapes. It overflows from my waist into the rest of my body in a hot torrent, and I gasp and cry out shamelessly. Is it the song? Is it because I was so painfully aroused? Is it because I’d been suffering from pain from my ankle? But what follows the release of pleasure is an amazing sense of relief and relaxation. It flows into every part of my body—including my broken bones.

I’m left quivering, gasping, overly sensitive, my fur raised and my body sweating. But I feel good. And I feel... submissive. It’s a strange sensation. There is no anger there—no resentment, no fear. It isn’t resignation to fate, either. It was a choice—really—I think, possibly forced because of how my body was tenderly but ruthlessly caressed and stroked and aroused. A strange contented stillness washes over me—and I think I have never felt more relieved in my life.

My purr is loud and wet, and Rai’s face suddenly appears before my eyes. Lowering his lips, he licks the tears from my cheeks and kisses me—gently and tenderly. Then, he turns me onto my left side, adjusting the pillow between my knees and under my ankle. He snuggles up behind me and starts grooming my ear.

That contentment that I felt—the one I thought couldn’t get any more content—relaxes even further, and a sense of belonging washes over me as that rough tongue traces carefully over my fur. This grooming is much different than what he was doing before—it feels affectionate and caring—almost... loving. And my chest aches with that contentment. 

I can’t move or speak. I’m exhausted, as I drift off into a relaxed sleep, listening to and experiencing the sensations of that loud purr and the calming strokes of a rough tongue on my ear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Konoe escapes after Rai leaves, wearing nothing but a towel. His plan to find Tokino, but he is discovered by Bardo while making his way down the steps. Frustrated, he tells Bardo he is hungry so he won't be brought back to his room--we all know Bardo can't help himself around hungry kittens.
> 
> Unfortunately, Konoe makes a slight error by telling Bardo about his plans, since Bardo might tell Rai. And the kitten doesn't get a chance to eat, since he is given some tea that is drugged. 
> 
> He wakes up in the middle of the night, back in his room, discouraged and really sore--because Rai is holding him to tight. He struggles and ends up waking the beast, who knows about his second attempt at escape. In "punishment," Rai starts teasing him--slowly.
> 
> Konoe doesn't figure out what he is doing at first--completely overwhelmed and rather taken with the touching and caressing. He ends up begging for more and not getting any, then accusing Rai of torturing him. Rai says, "Oh really?" And that's when Konoe figures out what he's doing. 
> 
> Kitty is pretty desperate at this point and starts begging--for anything--and a spanking instead. Rai is pleased by this but doesn't do it, since he's injured already, and instead gives him oral sex. Konoe sings to him again--accidentally--but realizes his song basically is submitting to Rai. And he feels relieved--after submitting and other stuff because that is how this is going to go.
> 
> Let the games continue!


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Konoe wakes up in the morning sore and aching--all his pain medication has worn off. And he's crabby as hell. Worse, the bounty hunter is in a strangely playful mood. He sees to Konoe's medication and gets him breakfast--then comes up with a proposal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a quick note to my regular readers: updates will be slower this week. I fell down a flight of stairs and broke my arm (and sprained my ankle, too, it seems!)--but I use my left hand to type, too. Hopefully, my poor characters will make it through the week with me!

“What happened to that sweet, submissive kitten from last night?” Rai's low voice purrs in my ear, rippling through my fur.

It’s a reasonable question, really, and one I cannot answer. I woke up really sore and aching this morning and I'm incredibly crabby.

“Are you in pain?” Rai asks, also quietly and directly into my ear.

“Mm, yes,” I hiss, trying to move away from him on the bed. I feel annoyed and irritable—my ankle is throbbing—almost worse today than it was yesterday.

Rai gets out of bed—and to my utter annoyance, my heart does a little flop in my chest when I see his body. He’s dressed only in his underwear, and his hair flows softly down his back, nearly to the base of his tail. He looks over his shoulder and catches me staring at his ass, and that riles me up even more. He smiles—it looks like a genuine smile rather than his usual smirk, and I sigh in exasperation. He really is incredibly attractive. Why does he have to be such a controlling jerk?

I look away when he walks back to the bed, carrying those medicinal leaves and a glass of water.

“Here you go.”

I reach out my hands to take the water, and he grabs my hands and lowers them to the side of my body. He's gentle yet very firm.

“I’ll do it.”

Glaring up at that pale blue eye, my ire increases. He _enjoys_ seeing me helpless, I think. This is maddening! I try to move my hands again, attempting to grab the water glass, but he holds it just out of reach.

“Quit playing around!” I growl. “I’m in pain and I’m thirsty. Let me have it!”

“I will, but only if you let me feed you.”

“Are you serious?” I ask.

“Of course. I think you’ll find I’m quite reliable.”

Rolling my eyes, I flop back down in the bed sourly, yelping as I do, since my flopping around hurts my rib. I deliberately turn my face away. “I don’t _want_ it.”

I can hear him take a sip of the water he brought over for me, and I lick my lips enviously. Suddenly, he leans down and grabs my chin, turning me to toward him. He quickly presses his lips to mine—making me protest. But as soon as my mouth opens, he forces his tongue inside and water fills up my mouth. It’s not cold, and it has a strange flavor—it tastes like the silver cat, even after he pulls his mouth away. Leaving me sputtering in surprise, he tenderly licks the drops of water from my chin.

“Are you ready to comply? Because I will do this whether you want it or not,” Rai says, smoothing my hair and stroking my ears. His tenderness is making me feel weirdly excited and more resistant at the same time—but I don’t want him to do that again.

“Please—let me sit up,” I say.

“That’s a good boy.” His praise is annoying but arousing, and that bothers me even more. “Your cheeks are pink. Gods, you’re _cute_ when you’re angry!” Another bolt of desire shoots through my chest, pooling in my hips. Why is he having this effect on me? It’s _infuriating_!

He brings the glass to my lips and I drink it all. Then, he gives me the leaves to chew on, and I rip them to pieces with my teeth, letting my imagination run away with me. I imagine his fingers in my mouth and I'm biting them. As gratifying as my little fantasy is, even _that_ heats up my body in an obnoxious way, and I feel disgusted with myself.

“More water?” he asks. I shake my head, trying to lie down again. “We need to get you some food. You probably don’t want to go downstairs naked, do you?”

I glance up at him over my shoulder, my eyes narrowed and my ears flat and angry, but I manage to keep from snarling.

“I didn’t get a chance to find clothes for you yesterday, so you’ll have to make do for now. I think having a guest wearing nothing but a towel is inappropriate—even if you thought you’d be fine in the streets of the city.” His voice is calm and casual, but he glances at me directly when he says this.

He grabs a shirt—one of his, it looks like—and helps me sit up. It still hurts quite a bit to move around—when I lie down or sit up—and I wince, but with his help, it's much easier and less painful than when I do it myself. He pulls the shirt on over my head—and it comes down to my knees. Then he scoops me out of bed.

“Oy,” I complain, wincing again when my chest is moved. “Wait—what about—?” He can't be serious! In just a shirt, no underwear? I mean, his pants will be huge on me, but I still have underwear, don't I? Somewhere?

“What? _Another_ complaint?” Rai purrs in my ear while carrying me out of the room. "You are fussy this morning."

“Hey! Stop!” I don’t want to go into the dining room wearing nothing but a shirt!

“What’s the problem? You’re awfully noisy—I’d hate to have to punish you for disturbing the other guests.” To my dismay, a pleasant shiver rushes down my spine when he whispers of punishment. What the hell is _wrong_ with me? I blush furiously, and I feel his hand stroke toward the base of my tail—a dangerous thing if he puts his hand any closer. My ass will be exposed!

“Please!” 

“Stop grumbling and relax. You’re hungry and crabby, and those leaves will work better with a little bit of something in this flat little belly of yours. Hush now, calm yourself.”

We’ve already arrived at the stairs, so I can’t really do anything but give in. And I am hungry!

“Plus, you’ll be much easier to discipline if you misbehave in the dining room.” The words caress my ears like a kiss, and another unwelcome shiver rushes through my body. He chuckles at my response.

“ _What_?!” I seethe. “You’re just _scaring_ me!” 

“ _Am_ I? You’re _sure_ this is fear? Because from where I’m standing, it looks more like anticipation,” he chuckles softly. 

I bite my tongue, my ears and cheeks burning, trying my best to ignore the slender fingers stroking me smoothly. He carries me into the dining room, setting me on a chair after conspicuously straightening the long shirt. He pulls up another chair and gently rests my casted ankle on the seat.

Bardo comes out of the kitchen and pours Rai a cup of tea. He gives me something else—a floral-scented tea flavored with milk and honey. I look at it suspiciously, and he smiles.

“Just drink it slowly—with food—and you'll be fine, all right?”

I push it away with violence and Rai says quietly, “You’re going to drink it. You do not have a choice.”

Several other diners are enjoying a late breakfast and notice our interaction, and I glance at the silver cat. He has moved the tea back toward my place and has his eyebrows lifted. It looks like a challenge.

“Thinking of testing me? Care to see how serious I am?” His voice purrs softly. It doesn't really sound like a threat, either—more like he’s teasing or being flirty! Then his voice lowers. “I wouldn’t think twice about taking you over my knee—cast or no, other diners present or no. They’d be in for quite a show, don’t you think?”

A gasp escapes my lips when I hear how serious he is. The thought of him spanking me here—pulling up this shirt and exposing me—and then the punishment itself… the humiliation weighs heavily on me, but it’s _also_ weirdly arousing. I am so confused by my feelings I don’t know what to do! I don't want to risk it. I pull the tea closer to me and take a sip.

“There you go, good kitten,” Rai reaches across the table and gently ruffles my hair, stroking my ears. That tenderness is so gods damn confusing! I find myself wishing he’d just be openly cruel to me. It would settle my confusion.

“How is our little patient today? It sounded like you ended up sleeping well.” Bardo’s comment makes me choke on my tea. He basically just announced to the entire dining room that I was the source of the noise last night! “Go on and eat up. You slept through dinner yesterday.”

I do eat well—eggs, bacon, toast, fruit—and Bardo brings me an extra serving of kuim, which I eagerly accept. I also drink a glass of milk and some juice, and Rai keeps watching me with the tea. That watchful eye doesn’t miss much, and I think I see something dark lurking beneath the surface.

As I’m eating, the way this morning has gone so far replays in my head. I have been extremely unpleasant this morning, and his response has been neutral or teasing. He’s threatened me, of course, but he hasn’t hurt me. I wonder if it was stupid to be so rude. I watch as Rai eats—and he seems to eat much more slowly than me, and he’s watching me carefully. I wonder what he’s thinking. When he smiles, showing me both his top and bottom teeth—and those sharp fangs—I am afraid I know _exactly_ what he’s thinking about, and it concerns me.

I quickly look down at my tea and pick up the mug. I’ve had half with breakfast, and I finish the rest now.

“Good boy,” Rai purrs, his hand brushing my thigh under the table. It makes me jump since his hand touches my bare skin, and I’d forgotten I was dressed only in a shirt. But his hand slides down toward my knee, just above the cast, and starts to massage it firmly. Despite my best intentions, I can’t stop myself from purring—and it’s loud, apparently, since I receive several interesting looks from neighboring diners. My ears blush again and I look down at my empty mug.

“Get enough to eat, Chibi?” Bardo asks—and I notice his voice sounds further away than it should.

“Mmm, thank you,” I say. Mine also sounds further away, and it takes me forever to find the words.

“You’d best bring him back upstairs. Perhaps your next errand could be to get the poor kitten some pants,” the older cat mumbles. Rai replies with a growl.

“You shouldn’t be gawking at my property so blatantly in the first place.”

“Property?” The word echoes from my mouth. My movements are sluggish, and I look up at Rai, blinking slowly several times. I rub my eyes, too—there seems to be something making my vision cloudy.

“What’s this, then? _Another_ complaint?” His pale blue eye searches my face, and I can't look away from that soft smirking smile of his.

“Oy— _upstairs_!” Bardo barks and his voice is loud. It makes me jump and fluff out my fur. “Go!”

“Too loud. You frightened him. Hmph,” Rai huffs at the older cat, pushing his chair out from the table. I try to struggle to stand up—but of course, I can’t. “I’ve got you, don’t worry.”

“That is _exactly_ what worries me!” I whimper as he pulls me against his chest, carrying me out. His reply is muffled laughter.

“Did you see all those jealous glances in the dining room, kitten?”

I don’t reply, but I realize I have a rather urgent need for the restroom—especially when I feel Rai’s fingers caressing the skin at the top of my thighs where the crease of my ass meets my legs. Why can I feel his fingers there? Is he lifting up my shirt again? 

“Um—I need to relieve myself,” I say.

“I bet you do. You drank an awful lot. Listen—these medicines can make you dehydrated, so just ask me if you get thirsty.” 

That is certainly something I _won’t_ be doing. It’s bad enough I can’t walk on my own. I won’t ask for help until I’ve tried it on my own first. Surely I can pour myself a cup of water!

He takes me to the upstairs bathroom, pushes open the door, closes and locks it behind him, and sits me down on the toilet. Then he leans up against the bathroom door.

“Convenient, isn’t it?”

“What?” I don’t think I can pee in front of him. This is too weird. I’ve lived alone far too long and this is too much, too soon.

“I mean, just wearing a shirt has a lot of advantages, doesn’t it?” 

I huff loudly.

“You’re going to watch me?”

“Well, you’re sitting down, so I can’t really _see_ anything. I suspect you won’t be able to stand to do your business for a while. Or to do _other_ things.”

“What other things?” I ask, but from his expression, I immediately regret the question. “My gods. You can stand up for _that_?”

He covers his mouth, making me feel utterly ridiculous. He’s laughing at me!

“My, aren’t you green?” Then his voice lowers. “You know, imagining it right now is probably not going to help you.”

He’s absolutely right—if I was having trouble peeing before, I certainly can't now. I feel my ears heating up, and I ask, “Would you please turn around?”

“Sure. Want me to run the tap, too?”

“Um, does that help?” I didn’t have running water in Karou, so I don’t know how that would help.

He walks over to the sink and switches the faucet on—and amazingly, it really _does_ help. I relax and pee—and it feels weirdly good. A little shiver goes through my body just as I finish the last few drops. I hear a soft chuckle, meaning he probably saw that shiver, but I don’t look up. I’m irritated! I don’t like this at all! I need to figure out how to get to the bathroom on my own.

“All done? Let’s wash up.” Rai brings me over to the sink and supports me when he turns on the tap. I watch his face in the mirror while he has his arms tucked close to my waist, holding my hands under the running water and washing them with soap. “Your face, too?”

“I can do it,” I say stubbornly, and I wash my face as well, then reach for the towel. I can’t reach it on my own, but that doesn’t keep me from trying. I don’t miss the little smile in his reflection when he reaches out for it and hands it to me.

“Such a _willful_ creature, even to a point of foolishness,” Rai murmurs in my ear, still smirking. “Don’t you realize how very vulnerable you are right now?” His words sound teasing, but I understand their meaning without further explanation. As if to prove his point, one of his hands sneaks under the hem of the back of my shirt. Slender fingers caress my bare thighs and stroke more firmly across my ass—making me quiver with pleasure—

What?! _No_! This has _got_ to be fear! It _can’t_ be pleasure or desire!

To my dismay, a small sound escapes my mouth. I mean to utter a tiny refusal—to say _no_. But that isn’t what comes out. In my reflection, I can see the fur on my ears and tail are completely fluffed out, my pupils are dilated wide and dark, and the tips of my fangs peek through my lips.

“Please.” 

For just a moment, I imagine how it might feel—having him take me while standing up. He’d push me up against the wall—or my gods, he could use the sink and I’d be able to see his reflection! I couldn't defend myself because I'd need both my hands to push back against his weight… His eye darkens as well, and he scoops me up in his arms.

“You were imagining it just now, weren’t you?”

Gods—here’s the mind reading _again_ —please, just stop!

“N-no,” I deny it—but he just smiles.

“You _were_! You were thinking about me fucking you standing up, weren’t you?” He laughs softly, then kisses the tip of my ear. “Well, it's probably partly due to the medicine, and partly due to the approaching season. Still—I’d _love_ to take you here—right in front of this mirror. I could watch your expression as you come completely undone.”

“No,” I say again—but my body is _begging_ for the opposite. My bristled fur is actually kind of lovely—I look like a different cat in the mirror: wild, untamable, a little feral, and a little bit dangerous. 

“Uh, huh,” he hums good-naturedly. “Let’s get you back to bed.” 

We enter our room and he sets me down on the bed. To my relief, I’m allowed to keep the shirt. I’m exhausted, but my body feels really hot. He licks my ears gently—tenderly again—and nips the tip of one before murmuring additional instructions.

“So. Here’s what _you_ will do now,” his voice stays low and even. “While I’m out, I’d like you to rest quietly or sleep if you can. Do _not_ move from this bed. I’ll ask Bardo to check on you and tend to you, and I’ll leave you with some water. He can give you more tea or those leaves in a few hours. However, I have several non-negotiable conditions for _you_ to meet.”

He tips my chin up toward his face so I meet his eye. My head feels fuzzy so I forget to resist.

“First, you will _stay_ _in bed_. There is no need for you to get up or walk around, and you need to keep your ankle elevated. Bardo will check on you regularly, and he will bring you anything you need. Second, you will _wait_ for me.”

He pauses dramatically for a minute. Wait for him to do what, I wonder?

“This means that regardless of how amorous you may be feeling, you _won’t_ touch yourself till I return.”

My ears flush with heat and I try to turn away, but Rai doesn’t release my chin. I’m so embarrassed he would make this a condition and even suggest such a thing out loud, but it also strangely feels like he read my mind! I was thinking I might do just that once he left! Something is wrong with my body for it to be responding so readily to this silver cat as it is. But I did sleep well last night, and soundly. So I thought perhaps that kind of self-care might help me now. I'm offended he'd say anything about it! It's _my_ body! 

“I think you’d agree I’ve gone _very_ easy on you this morning, Konoe.” 

My nose is kissed gently, making my eyelids heavy. A wave of soft romantic feelings flows through my body and pools in my hips. When my eyes close, Rai kisses both of my eyelids, my forehead, my cheek, and my chin. But my heart starts racing when I feel his hand trail down the side of my throat, my chest, my belly—and I flatten my lower back reflexively against the mattress while I exhale a quavering breath—and strokes my hips and even lower—which makes me sigh out loud despite my best efforts to suppress any sound.

“You were disobedient, crabby, disrespectful, and downright rude. I’d even go as far to call your behavior _bratty_.”

My ears flatten again, and my eyes open in fear—but he smoothly strokes my cock over the t-shirt—and that makes me relax and neglect to stifle a moan. My entire body is trembling now. This is betrayal! That's what this is! My body is against me!

“However, since you're injured, I’m giving you a chance to redeem yourself. Obey these two simple requests, and I will forgo the punishment you’ve earned yourself this morning already.” 

“But—wait—I was in _pain_!” I blurt out. He’s not being fair! Nothing about this is fair—and I'm having trouble thinking cohesively.

“Pain is no excuse for brattiness—especially when I’m taking such tender care of you. And see? Your body agrees.” He gives my dick a few additional firmer strokes and I can’t stifle my voice anymore.

“ _Please_!” I beg.

“All you have to do is be _patient_. _Wait_ for me. I could force your obedience and restrain you, but I’d like to see you _choose_ obedience of your own will. Do you understand?”

I nod my head, noticing a tear sparkling in my vision. It slips down my cheek.

“Aw, so sweet,” Rai purrs. “You look as though I’ve asked you to cut off your own arm. This is just _waiting_ , darling. I may reward you when I return, too— _if_ you can obey.”

I don’t _want_ any gods damn rewards, my mind thinks frustratedly, but my body sure responds to his tempting offer. But I manage to suppress my anger—barely—and I’m sure he can see my frustration. I also hold back the rest of my tears, since he’s licking the trail off my cheek.

“Be a good kitten while I’m gone,” Rai warns, and I watch him put on his equipment. Jeez, that longsword is a monster! “Either way, I’m looking forward to my return.”

He flashes me that wicked smile again, kisses my ears, then leaves. I watch his tail as he walks to the door, my frustration rising to the point of desperation. My heart still pounds in my ears, and my body is sweating. I’m left alone with the _perfect_ opportunity to see to my own needs and feel better right away, yet disobey his direct order or remain frustrated and comply. 

What should I do? I lie back in the bed and try to think.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Konoe! I'm sure nothing could go wrong--I mean, how will Rai find out anyway?


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So this is the right fic for updating when I have a broken arm, it seems.
> 
> A long and rather dirty update. Konoe gets into a sub-space, and much to his surprise, he really enjoys it. 
> 
> Trigger: not exactly safe, sane or consensual, but at the same time, not as abusive as some of the other fics I've written. Please consume at your own risk. There is a spanking in this chapter, but it is surprisingly consensual.

Time has never moved so slowly as it does today.

I am _trying_ to behave myself, _trying_ to obey the hunter's command to me before he left. I feel hot and aroused, and my hands keep creeping down my body toward my hips of their own accord. I deliberately stop them, flattening my ears when I remember that dark look in the bounty hunter’s pale blue eye while he was watching me crab and bitch and complain during breakfast

Sighing loudly, I’m not sure what good waiting is going to do. He said I was being given a chance to redeem myself from the punishment I’d already earned. So does this mean if I don’t do perfectly he will punish me anyway? 

But how would he find out, really? I’m young, after all. I don’t need much time to get aroused a second time. In fact, the first time he finished me off with his mouth I came a second time within less than half an hour. I’m sure I could quickly relieve myself and be ready for a second round by the time he walked in the door.

The only issue is what to do with… the, um, well, leavings. I can’t really move or get rid of the evidence, and he probably is very aware of that. And he didn’t tell me not to jerk off. He said not to _touch_ myself. I wonder if he meant not to touch myself at all? Because I’m not exactly complying in that case, I realize, as I stop my hands from stroking the fur below my belly. It feels nice. It’s soothing—sort of.

Well. Maybe "soothing" isn’t the right word. If I am purposely turned away from the door, I am not exactly calming myself down, and I know it. And touching myself at all is really only making myself more aroused. I drop my hands to my sides—and just in time since there’s a sharp knock at the door. 

It makes my fur bristle out fully, but I can’t sit up on my own. It hurts too much. How long have I been waiting in here? Rai mentioned Bardo would come in to check on me, didn’t he?  
  
Before I can answer, the door opens, and the huge tiger cat is standing in the doorway, peeping his head inside. 

“Ah, you’re not asleep? Sorry, did I startle you?” He smiles softly. “Hmm. You look like I just caught you with your hand in the cookie jar, sweet kitten.” He chuckles as he enters the room. “You know, there is a little catnip in the medicinal leaves and tea we’ve been feeding you. It can have some interesting side effects.”

“What kind of side effects?” I ask, turning my head. I am still lying on my side, facing the window instead of the door.

“Here, let’s sit you up and get you rehydrated and get you your medicine. Come on. Up you go,” Bardo says, and he pulls me up to sit while I wince. “You know, you need to keep this leg elevated on these pillows. Didn’t Rai tell you?”

“He did,” I say.

“Why aren’t you complying, then? It’s for pain management. Look at this!” Bardo sounds frustrated. He pulls the sheets off my legs, which are bare, and I hate feeling exposed. I complain and try to keep them on, but he is much stronger than me. “Look at your knee? Above your cast? And look at your toes, just below? Compare them, side by side. See?”

I look where he is pointing, and when he touches my toes below the cast, I feel a significant temperature difference. His hand feels cool on the foot that is broken and hot to the one that isn’t. Plus my toes look like little balloons. They look ridiculous.

“Your toes are swollen. Your knee is swollen. You have to keep your ankle elevated. It is trying its best to heal, kitten.”

I look at my knee, and it too is very swollen. I lean forward and touch my knees, and there is an obvious temperature difference between them: my right knee is hot to the touch.

“Drink your tea,” Bardo says, sitting down on my right side, pressing a mug into my hands. It smells floral, flavored with honey and cream. “I bet it hurts, doesn’t it?”

“Yeah,” I say. But truthfully, I’m crabby and distracted for other reasons.

“Let me see if I can help with some of the swelling. Did Rai-chan massage your knee a little yesterday?”

“Um, yeah,” I say, and I lower my ears slightly. He was nice about it, too.

“Good.” Bardo starts to massage my knee above the cast. He doesn’t go very high above it, but I feel slightly uncomfortable because I am not wearing any pants and I am still quite aroused—and I remember what Rai did to me after that massage and how he had me at his mercy, begging and pleading.

“Oy.” Bardo’s voice startles me suddenly.

“Huh?” I jump, spilling a bit of the tea on myself, and I am very glad that Rai’s shirt covers as much of me as it does or else my lap would have been burned.

“Just make sure you drink that tea,” Bardo says.

“Oh, I am.” I take another few gulps, finishing half the mug at once and burning my mouth in the process. I don’t want to get a bad report from Bardo. I don’t need any more disobedient behavior reported today. “Sorry.”

“For gods’ sake, don’t burn yourself!” Bardo says. “I’m not going to get you in trouble. It seems like you do plenty of that on your own.” I’m slightly offended at his statement and I click my tongue, but I look down at the mug when he stares at me. From the corner of my eye, it looks like he is smiling, though.

“Rai-chan likes you, kitten. Why do you fight him so much?” 

Now I do look up. He can’t be serious. Rai gives me such a hard time—and he’s mean to me! He whipped me when he _first_ met me; he caught me in a trap; he called me his _property_ this morning! He threatens me with punishment—all the time. How can that be construed as “liking” me?

“That’s a lie,” I say.

“It’s not. I’ve known that cat since he was just a boy,” Bardo says. “I taught him how to use that sword. I have never seen him so attached to another cat before. I never thought he could be like this with someone else, in fact.” 

“Be like what, exactly?” I ask. “Call another cat his _property_? Threaten another cat with punishment if he didn’t follow his every wish and whim?”

“You are his bounty, you know. You were supposed to be eliminated. You do realize that, don’t you? Rai-can was supposed to either kill you or return you to Karou to be slaughtered. And he didn’t.”

“That’s because I’m a Sanga.” My voice sounds childish and pouty, but I can't help my poor attitude.

“A Sanga?” Bardo lifts his eyebrows. “Your village is certainly backward if they wanted to sacrifice a Sanga. It was right for him to save you.”

“ _Save_ me? _This_ is saving me?!” I wave my hand at my ankle.

“You think _he_ broke your ankle? Kitten, do you know where he was while you were in that tree?”

“Um, no.” I hadn't thought about it. I thought he might be cleaning up his other traps, but he seemed to have them the night before, now that I think about it.

“Didn’t he ask you to stay put? Did he tell you anything else about other parties looking for you in the woods?”

“Well, he threatened me with it—”

“Bandits and other bounty hunters who might sell you to brothels?”

“Um, yes, he mentioned those, but he was trying to frighten me—” 

“He was trying to talk some _sense_ into you, you stupid kitten. Think about it. Why would he have left you alone and sleeping in the woods, naked, unless it was an emergency?”

I am quiet for a second. It's hard to think.

“Wasn’t he just collecting his gear?”

“Think a little harder. And what did _you_ do?”

“I, um, I… ran away.” Could Rai have been fighting with the other bounty hunters looking for me? That can’t be right. That can’t be! Wouldn’t he have said something? “Why wouldn’t he have said something then, if that’s what he was doing?”

“Well, did he seem frustrated that you ran off? And then broke your leg as a result of running away?” 

I am silent. I have no reply. He was angry, but he didn’t take it out on me. He was _kind_ to me—and he treated my injury. He didn’t punish me or even make me feel bad. But he _was_ upset with me for running away. But Bardo is right. He has been dealing with me awfully nicely.

At least since the first time he whipped me. Maybe he didn’t know he liked me then? Or he was trying to establish his authority? I can still hear the crack of the whip in my ears. It was frightening and make my fur stand on end. Also... I seem to be crying for some reason. What is wrong with me? Do I actually feel bad for running away?

“Oh, honey, I didn’t mean to make you cry. I’m sorry, sweetheart.” Bardo wipes my tears. His hands really do feel nice massaging my knee, though.

“N-no,” I say, trying to get my tears under control. This is ridiculous. “I’m okay. I just didn’t realize. I d-don’t understand. His behavior is confusing. He, um, threatened me before he left today.”

“He is can be very strict. His parents, well, they meant well, but they were too strict with him. He was an obedient child, but they never showed him love. I never remember him laughing or playing as a child—or at least, not like I thought he should. I should have intervened, but I didn’t want to interfere. He probably doesn’t understand how to interact with you. Or perhaps he saw something in how you responded to his severity.”

“I, um, didn’t grow up around other cats,” I say, looking away. “I don’t know how to act around others. It’s a weird combination.”

“You should tell him how you feel,” Bardo suggests. “He is nothing if not direct.”

There is another pause. I’ve almost finished the tea in my mug, and Bardo is still massaging my knee.

“Your knee is already looking better. I’d like to fetch some ice if that’s all right. How’s your rib? Is it sore, too? May I take a look?”  
  
I really don’t want him to—since I’m not wearing anything under my shirt. But he pushes me back against the headboard so I am sitting up straight, lifts up the back of my shirt, and I feel myself blushing, my tail flicking around nervously.

“Oh, don’t worry. It’s nothing I haven’t already seen before,” he pets my tail gently. “This tail of yours is so interesting.” 

I blush even deeper. I don’t like my crooked tail. And I flick it out of his grasp, hearing him chuckle lightly as he runs his fingers along the bruising on my rib.

“Yes, I will be back with some ice for your rib and your knee. When I get back, I’d like you to have finished this tea, and also these herbs, all right? These are different from the ones Rai gave you earlier. They are a powder. You swallow them. They are bitter. Perhaps take them now, and then cleanse your palette with the tea.”

Bardo hands me a small triangular packet, which I eye with suspicion. I wonder what the effects of the drugs might be and I don’t really want to take them. But I also don’t want to disobey Bardo and get in trouble with Rai. I don’t have a chance to protest since that black and orange striped tail has disappeared from my room.

Realizing I don’t have a choice, I swallow the contents of the packet. They are nasty and bitter, making my eyes water and nearly making me gag. And then I finish the rest of the tea. The tea has already made me feel a little strange. I’d like to lie down, but I can’t since I need to keep my foot elevated. Instead, I just wait patiently, noticing my hands gliding down my stomach again, toward the soft fur below my belly. I let one rest there, underneath the fabric of the shirt, while I lean against the headboard, feeling relaxed and strange. My fur feels nice—silky and plush in my fingers—and even my skin feels nice and smooth.

I have my eyes closed when Bardo comes back in, and I don’t move my hand. I let him rearrange the pillow on the bed so I can lie down on my left side, and he puts a flat ice pack behind my back for my rib and also one around my swollen knee. It doesn’t occur to me that he can see my hand, but he probably does. He strokes the fur on my ears and whispers to me softly.

“Get some rest, kitten.”

“Mmm,” I murmur softly.

When the door closes behind him, _all_ I can think about is touching myself. And I let the hand at my belly wander lower for just a moment. I touch the head of my dick, which is hard and dripping, though I haven’t even been touching it at all. Just a light touch makes transparent liquid spill out onto my hand, and I moan, sorely tempted to give myself just a little bit more. I press my palm into the head of my cock, gripping the rim, using the lubrication to grind against my hand—and I fantasize about Rai’s plush lips.

All at once, all the hair on my body stands on end. A shiver rushes through my body, starting from my hips all the way down my legs and up to my shoulders, and I realize that I need to _stop_ _right_ _now_ or I am going to come. As fast and as impulsively as I moved my hand down to my groin, I tear it away, as though I have burned myself, and I feel a tear slide down my cheek.

What is _happening_ to me?

I think about the past few evenings when I have tried to shout refusals and instead, soft sighs and pleas have escaped my lips instead. I wonder, do I really _want_ to be with Rai? Do I desire him?

It’s probably the exact wrong time to be thinking about whether I desire the slender but muscular body of the silver-haired cat with that striking pale blue eye. I can smell his scent in the sheets surrounding me, too: well-worn leather—even though he sleeps nude or nearly nude—and fresh spring rain. It’s wonderful. It makes my body respond on its own.

Something he said when he first picked me up in that trap—and he was smelling my ears—he found me at just the right time rings a bell in my head. I wonder… 

For the past year and a half, every six months I have suffered from a strange illness. I talked to Tokino about it, and I still don’t know if he was being serious. But I think he said that it was the effects of the mating season. I realized I could fix the results of these strange flu-but-not-flu-like symptoms in a weird way, even on my own. I figured it out how when I was bathing. I thought I was suffering from a fever—and I was—so I was bathing in cool water and I happened to touch myself. And one thing led to another and suddenly, I realized what would relieve my symptoms—as though my body knew just what it needed.

And this illness makes another appearance every six months. Didn’t Rai say the mating season was just around the corner when we checked in here? I’ve never been with another cat during mating season—but when I was alone, it was nothing like simply pleasuring myself. I am not a child; I have been known to do that from time to time just to relax or relieve stress or to help myself get to sleep. I am frightened of what it’s going to be like if Rai is also suffering from those effects. But I am more afraid of what will be happening with me. I become a different person. I get _crazy_ —like a beast. I was almost afraid of myself the last time. I was afraid to step outside of my house.

Is that why he has kept me? Will he release me afterward? Will he kill me afterward or send me back to Karou? I could ask, but I don’t know if I want to know. Maybe if he likes me well enough he will keep me around.

Perhaps if I can behave myself.

Perhaps if I don’t earn myself another punishment. 

But wait.

Maybe he _wants_ me to earn another punishment.

How am I supposed to tell? It seems to me that he  _enjoys_ punishing me—whether it’s spanking me or doing what he did last night—he really enjoys it. He gets hard and gets off on it. He likes to see me at his complete mercy. He could have just left me today and said nothing, or punished me for my bratty behavior before he left. But he left me in such a strange state with a warning—to _worry_ about it.

And he knows I can come more than once. 

I’m filled with confusion now. I don’t know what to do. So… perhaps I should just do what I want to do? I don’t know. What does he expect from me?

Maybe I should jerk myself off and then beg for a spanking when he gets back? A spanking with those leather gloves on?

Oh, my gods—and just that thought—it's too late now. I am touching myself just _thinking_ about it! I can’t help myself! One hand strokes my tail and the other is between my legs—just gently—so gently—playing with myself. I’m not even squeezing myself. I’m just barely touching myself. In fact, now I stroke the fur below my belly and it just feels so good—and I imagine him licking me there—and gods—the leg that still works straightens itself reflexively against the smooth sheets on the bed.

I draw claws on the hand touching my tail and close my eyes, running my claws through my fur. It doesn’t feel like his claws since my hands are much smaller and not as rough—but that’s okay. I’m gentle with myself, soft, barely touching.

I let the hand on my belly drop lower and lower and I touch my cock again. I purr and moan loudly, squeezing my thighs together helplessly. It just feels so good—that familiar pull in my abdomen urging me to move faster, but I don’t. I take my time. I feel out the head of my dick, the rim—and why the fuck am I so hard right now? Is it just from fantasizing? Do I want him so much? 

I think about when he had me face down on his lap and I moan again, pressing down on my cock with my open hand, remembering the feel of his gloves against my skin and my fur. They pull at my fur just a little—there’s a slightly sticky feel of the leather against my skin. It’s a squeaky sensation. I’d love for him to spank me again—just like before—and maybe longer, maybe a little harder or softer, I don’t know which. And I want him to lick my ear again as he did before. 

My breath is panting long and hard, and I am stroking myself now—taking short breaks to caress the tip and head—my other hand still softly stroking my tail—but there is no doubt about it. What I am doing now is direct disobedience, and I am almost _hoping_ he will walk in on me. The thought of that—him walking in right now—is such an amazing turn on that I get _even_ harder and breathy, dirty-sounding sighs start spilling from my lips, making them numb and tingly.

I am so close to coming and I have knocked the icepack off my knee onto the mattress from squeezing my legs together that I don't even hear the door open. Heavy, panting breaths drip from my mouth, and I am so immersed in my fantasy that I am, of course, scared out of my wits when someone roughly grabs my arm and interrupts me.

My eyes fly open in fear then anger—I was so close and it was such an amazing fantasy—and then I'm flooded with absolute horror when I recognize who is standing there.

A pale blue eye meets mine, long pale plush lashes framing the lovely but very sharp gaze. 

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

The voice growls low and dangerous. My ears flatten. At first, I’m filled with confusion, and I’m sure it shows in my eyes. 

_It’s got to be the drugs. This is just way too real. The timing is just too perfect!_

I blink several times, confused.

I’m turned onto my back, and Rai kneels over me on the bed. He takes hold of my right hand and looks at it.

“You’ve disobeyed me. Deliberately. Haven’t you?”

I shake my head, rather desperately.

“I-i thought I m-might f-finish b-before y-you c-came b-back a-and y-you’d n-never know—”

Staring directly down at my face, he licks my hand—the one I’ve been using to masturbate—and he licks the fluids from my body off my fingers and the palm of my hand. It gives me a strange visceral reaction, especially as he presses his nose into my hand, as though he enjoys the scent and taste of me. Almost like he wants to devour me.

“You thought I wouldn’t know?” His voice is very soft, and I feel tears forming in my eyes. My heart is pounding in my ears.

“I-i c-couldn’t wait!” I plead desperately.

“You _couldn’t_ ,” Rai repeats softly, tilting his head, brushing my ears indulgently. The gentleness of his voice is terrifying.

“I-I couldn’t—I w-wanted—I f-fantasized a-about b-being c-caught—”

“Hmm,” Rai smiles, a very soft smile, indulgent. “You didn’t have to fantasize very long, did you.” Not a question, but a statement.

“S-so I-I c-could b-beg f-for, um…”

“So you could beg for what? Forgiveness?” Rai prompts, stroking my ears again. 

“N-no.” I don’t want his forgiveness. I cast my eyes down in shame, and my chin is tilted back up so I meet his eye.

“You’ve been caught, now you must face the consequences and be brave enough to meet my eye, little one. What did you wish to beg for?”

“F-for p-punishment,” I whisper.

For just a split second, I see the silver cat’s pupil blow wide—a reflex he can’t control. It makes his eye dark and frightening—and ever so sexy. I also see the corners of his mouth twitch upward into a smile, and his long, sharp canines poke out over his lips.

“You wanted to beg for _punishment_?” He says softly. He sounds rather delighted.

“Yes.”

“Go right ahead, then, kitten. You’ve certainly earned yourself one.”

“A spanking—with your leather gloves.”

“Oh? Do you think that is what you’ve earned? After your brattiness this morning? And your direct disobedience this afternoon? After I gave you a chance to redeem yourself?”

“I'm sorry,” I whisper, lowering my eyes.

“Hmm. Even though I tried such a punishment and it didn’t have an effect? Why do you think it would work now?”

“Because I can’t stop thinking about it now. Please.”

There is a short breathless pause, during which Rai looks at me thoughtfully. I think he may be slightly concerned about my rib and my ankle.

“Please. Maybe... harder and longer than before.” I am so unbelievably excited I can hardly breathe.

“Understand, if this is going to happen, this is a _punishment_ , not a reward. You will not be permitted to come unless I permit it. Do you understand?”

“Yes.” A warm feeling explodes inside my stomach—and it feels for all the life of me like butterflies—an entire flock of them.

“Damn it,” he mutters under his breath. “This is supposed to _hurt_.”

“I know.” I can’t _wait_ —and what the hell is _wrong_ with me? I am so fucking _excited_!

Rai starts fussing around with the pillows and then arranges me with my torso on the bed and my hips over his lap. My legs hang off over the side of the mattress, my ass in the air. My shirt is pushed all the way up to my neck. 

“This is a punishment,” his low voice repeats in my ear, followed by his tongue, which makes me shiver. “I want you to keep your hands in front of you, grabbing the edge of the bed. If I see those hands back here, you will receive additional and harsher treatment. Do you understand?”

His hands smoothing over my bare, exposed skin—and his hands aren’t bare. They are covered in _leather_. A small excited sigh escapes my mouth at the realization and goosebumps shiver down my spine, but my ears flush with embarrassment. I don’t understand why I am so excited or why I am so aroused by the touch.

“Do you know that I would happily stroke your bare skin with my gloves on if you asked me to?” The husky voice whispers gently. “You didn’t have to disobey me and earn yourself a spanking.”

My ears flush an even deeper shade of pink, and they are licked again.

“Are you embarrassed? To ask for what you want? For what you like?”

“I-i think I am afraid,” I whisper.

“Afraid? Perhaps you should be. Just a little.” His hands don’t stop moving—against my skin, my fur, my tail. “But tell me. What are you afraid of, kitten?”

“I-i a-am afraid of wh-what you m-may think of me,” I murmur softly.

A lovely sound resonates in my ear—a purring chuckle.

“I don’t think you could do anything that would displease me or make me think less of you. So what are you so afraid of?" 

“I think I, um, b-become, um, different.” There’s a small pause while I struggle to find words. It’s hard to speak when I’m being caressed.

“Different? What do you mean?”

“D-during specific, um, times of the year.”

“Ah. Do you mean when you’re in heat? That’s to be expected,” he purrs softly.

“B-but I become, um, _very_ , um, different. I’ve, um, never spent the season with another cat.”

“I know. I realize that. I think it should be very exciting. I can’t wait. Don’t worry about it too much.”

I am somewhat soothed. But he hasn't met the beast-like Konoe.

“However, I am confused.”

I don’t say anything, and there is another pause, but I feel a soft nudge on my chin, which is tipped back toward his face, making me meet his gaze. I really do not want to meet his gaze right now! I’m much too aroused, and I’m ashamed for being so aroused—because I’m in this particular situation that I have gotten myself into and I can’t get out of it.

“What? You don’t want to look at me? Too shy?”

“Mmm, n-no,” I whimper softly. “I’m embarrassed.” 

“ _Embarrassed_?” Rai asks, sounding surprised. “You are embarrassed to be seen now? But not so embarrassed to be _flagrantly_ disobeying my direct order right when I walked in the door this afternoon?”

I blush even harder.

“You’ve _earned_ this, kitten. But I want to know. _Why_?”

“I, um, wanted you to punish me,” I whisper softly, and then even softer, I continue, “like this.”

“Like what?”

He wants me to _say_ it? I sigh loudly, and I roll my eyes and click my tongue, and I see him raise his eyebrows.

“Are you really trying to earn a _different_ kind of punishment? Because I _could_ spank you with my gloved hand, but I could also use my whip or a belt. Sighing so exasperatedly, rolling your eyes, and clicking your tongue at me make me think you’d prefer the belt.”

I flatten my ears and I look repentant in an instant.

“N-no! Please!” My tail also drops to the bed. And then I lower my voice again. “I just really wanted to feel the leather against my skin and I was ashamed of myself for wanting it.”

“You say you wanted to ‘feel the leather,’ and you do seem to enjoy the touch. And I can believe you might be embarrassed to ask me to simply stroke you with my gloves on. But is _that_ what you wanted, or did you want me to _spank_ you?”

“I-I d-don’t know,” I confess. “I couldn’t get the second time you punished me out of my head. And I wanted to find out if it was the gloves or the spanking. I-I’m s-sorry. F-for d-disobeying you.” I lower my gaze and then look up again through my lashes, my ears burning. 

“I’m sure you feel sorry, but not as sorry as you will be,” he says softly, releasing my chin. “Grab hold of the mattress, and don’t forget to breathe.”

He waits for me to take a few deep breaths in and out—I am so terribly excited— _ridiculously_ so—and then he begins. Several slow spanks at first—while holding down my lower back with his other hand right at the base of my tail. His hand feels so nice massaging my fur—that cool, sticky leather pulling at my sensitive fur makes me shiver, but the stinging sensation from the spanking heats up my skin right away.

What the hell is wrong with my body? Has the season started? Am I already in heat and I haven’t realized? I’m drooling and unable to stop panting—I’d be humping the silver cat’s lap if he weren’t holding me down so firmly.

The blows raining down on me speed up little by little and get firmer, making me stutter—my shivering pleasure changes to warm pain. It’s starting to hurt, at least I think it is—and my skin is burning, but the blood pooling at my waist is making my groin heavy and my dick is plumping up and dripping onto the hunter’s lap. I start to squirm a little more, and I am tempted to let go of the mattress. In fact, I release the claws from my left hand.

“Don’t even _think_ about it.” A husky whisper sinks into one of my ears, followed by another lick of his tongue. I immediately sink my claws back into the mattress, giving a frustrated whimper in reply. “Keep those hands right where they are.”

My voice starts to change a little and I whine quietly, and tears start to form in my eyes.

“Mmm—” a small complaint hums from my mouth, as I try to squirm away from that palm—which is spreading out, even as the blows get faster, which leaves my skin with a slightly ticklish sensation. That is confusing me even more—the leather seems to stick to my bare skin, still feeling cool after each spank though my skin is hot, and even though there is pain, I also feel a delightful pleasure that ripples across the surface of my skin.

The sounds escaping my lips are nothing if not vulgar and are completely uncontrolled. I have been squeezing my legs together after each spank, and the hunter stops briefly. I feel him stroking my tail firmly with the hand holding my lower back in place and my ass with the spanking hand, which then slips lower to between my thighs.

“You’re doing so well with your hands, working so hard to keep them in place like you were told,” his husky voice whispers softly in my ear. “Now I want you to relax your legs as well. Just relax and take the punishment you’ve earned. Be a good boy for me and you will earn a reward. If you can’t do that, I will have to change my method. And you won’t like it.”

Another whine comes out of my mouth, but his hands feel so nice—petting my thighs so softly and I can’t help my response. It feels like my body simply submits to his touch. No—that’s not exactly right. It feels like my body offers itself to him when he pets me.

“There you go. Stay just like this. Just relax. Such a good kitten—despite your naughtiness. And I can _still_ feel how naughty you are.” 

A little shiver ripples through my fur, and he resumes the spanking, not sparing the insides of my thighs. Those spanks actually sting quite a lot—bringing tears to my eyes and wringing quiet, yelping gasps from deep within my body, which I try to suppress.

“Go ahead and cry if it hurts,” he murmurs. “Get it all out. You’ll feel better.”

He alternates between my thighs and my sit spot—and the spanks to my sit spot are slightly harder and feel amazing. They press my cock against his lap in just the right way and I feel like I am getting quite close to climax, panting breathlessly. Perhaps I could come from a spanking? I don’t know. 

My claws are digging into the side of the mattress as deep as they will go, and my back is arched. I am still not entirely relaxed, except the muscles of my ass and legs are as he requested. My back is arched so I am presented just a little better, hoping that he will punish my sit spot more than my thighs.

“Look at you, naughty kitten. If I didn’t know better, it looks like you are trying to get me to spank you a little more in a particular spot. Is that what you are trying to do? Does this feel the best for you?” He hums softly, giving my tail a soft tug, spanking my sit spot, and pressing me hard against his lap.

The punishment finishes before I do—thankfully. I don’t know what he would do to me if I came on his lap. I am crying softly—not wailing or pleading like I was with the whipping or that first spanking. My ass is hot and sore, but it doesn’t hurt. I am extremely aroused, however, and my body is sweating and hot.

“You did very well,” he whispers, stroking me softly and helping me release my claws from the mattress. He kisses each one of my fingers and then sucks each one into his mouth. Watching him do this is so incredibly sexy—I hardly know what to do with myself. I am then positioned on the bed, rolled back onto my back very carefully, propped up on several pillows—gently so as not to injure my leg or my rib, and Rai brushes my hair out of my face and kisses my tears away, then the tip of my nose, my cheeks, my forehead.

“Since you were so eager to touch yourself earlier, I want to watch you.”

My fur bristles—from the tips of my ears to the tip of my tail, and I look up at the silver cat in surprise. He must be kidding. I am currently uncovered and nude on the bed—and he is completely dressed, though without his cape or swords, sitting next to me calmly.

“Wh-what?”

He smiles at me tenderly, tilting his head to the side.

“I am sure you heard me and understood my words, kitten. I said I want to watch you touch yourself. So—continue what you were doing when I walked in on you. This is a continuation of your punishment.”

“Um…”

“Go on. I know you can do it. You were doing it when I came in.” My left knee that was bent slightly is pushed down flat, just like it was when he came in. He grabs my tail almost roughly and pushes it into my left hand, and then he moves my right hand to the fur just below my belly, running his claws through it as well, making me gasp and shiver. “Do you understand?”

“I-i d-do, I j-just d-don’t think I-I c-can—”

“Oh, you can. And you will,” Rai interrupts my stuttering words, and I feel very nervous. But he is watching me—and I wonder if I am really nervous or if I am simply incredibly aroused. I’m not sure.

“Please—”

“Go ahead. You look desperate.” He is looking right at my cock, and even that—him looking at me, _there_ —my gods, do I actually _want_ to do this?

I swallow thickly. I move my hand against my tail and I see his eye jump from my cock to my tail, which makes me bristle again. Then, I slowly slide my right hand through the fur on my belly a little lower. His gaze jumps back to that hand and I feel myself responding.

_Shit—he wants to see this. He wants to watch me pleasure myself. He wants to watch me touch myself. This isn’t about humiliation. This is about desire._

I am suddenly overcome and I give my cock a small squeeze and a sigh escapes my mouth. I notice his ears twitch—almost in curiosity. My thighs squeeze together and I allow the palm of my hand to caress the top of my dick, releasing additional fluid for some friendly lubrication. I can’t help nor do I bother suppressing another soft sigh. My eyelids flutter closed as I allow this lubrication to stroke my shaft.

“No. Keep your eyes open. I want your eyes open.”

“Huh?” A small, dumb-sounding response from me as I look up, but I obey. He looks incredibly… interested. I use a light touch and match the strokes of my tail to the rhythm I’m using on my dick.

“Such a pretty little thing,” Rai murmurs softly. “Do you always stimulate your tail like that?” 

_Ah—shit—he wants me to talk, too? I can’t!_

“Um, n-no,” I stammer softly, without stopping. I drop my gaze but don’t close my eyes. My vision lands in my lap, and I am mortifyingly exposed, and the reality of what I’m doing hits me again, making me look up. Why—what does he see in me? His face is soft and sexy, a smile playing at the corners of his lips, his ears are perked up, the fur on them bristled out expectantly. He is waiting for me to speak with anticipation. A strange, rich, and utterly indulgent tingling sensation crawls slowly up my spine. Taking a deep breath, I sigh. And then I open my mouth.

“When you first took me over your lap—at the campsite—you played with my tail. It felt so good. That’s why I’m doing it now.” 

His ears twitch and the pupil of his eye dilates and then narrows quickly, sending another odd sensation through my body. I feel like prey to be devoured—vulnerable and sitting defenseless. But I don’t dislike the feeling. If anything, it unexpectedly increases my arousal, making me gasp loudly.

“Slow down a little. Enjoy yourself. I don’t want you to finish.”

“F-finish?” I ask.

“Don’t come,” he clarifies. “I want you to wait.” The bounty hunter stands up from where he has been watching me on the side of the bed, not taking his eyes from me, and unbuckles his belt and takes it off. He snaps it loudly in the air—and the sound it makes me flinch, making the hair all over my body bristle. He smiles slyly.

“You should be glad that you behaved yourself so well during that little punishment session, little Sanga,” he says, keeping his voice soft. “I tend to you use whatever implement is handy to increase the pain of punishment when necessary. I think you would have disliked my belt.”

The threat is frightening, but thrilling at the same time—and I am mortified at the very idea that I am at all thrilled. But my body responds—and he chuckles slightly. He touches my toes gently, leaning down and licking each one, sucking each one into his mouth gently. I can feel the tips of his sharp fangs, and I watch him do it. It’s a fascinating view—with that belt on the bed beside me. I wonder if he may not be finished with it. It frightens me, heightens my awareness and sensitivity—and I just can’t help myself. I gasp and moan when he sucks my toes—it's almost as though he is sucking my cock—and it’s so confusing.

“My gods, you are adorable. A sensitive, adorable, precious creature. And so obedient for me. You are the perfect fit. You enjoy this, don’t you? The feeling of being overcome? Of being conquered? Though it angers you just a little, perhaps?”

A hand slides up the inside of my left thigh, and he is still not undressed. How is this going to work? With my cast? My broken rib? Will he hurt me?  
  
“Now—I think the heat may be upon you already. Do you feel an ache in your bones? A slight fever?”

“Huh?” That same dumb noise escapes my mouth again. “Oh, ah—yes,” 

“You’re getting quite close, aren’t you? You remember what I told you, didn’t I? If you disobey me, your gorgeous ass will see this belt before I fuck you senseless, kitten.”

My ears flatten and I slow my hand to almost a stop. Oh, do I want him to fuck me senseless!

“Good boy,” he murmurs. Hypnotic—that voice is hypnotic. I don’t know what is wrong with me. I spread both hands across my chest—and they feel so good—almost as good as stroking my dick. I have to stop touching myself. It never feels this good—except for that time six months ago… and then I realize.

He has pulled himself up behind me, still completely dressed. I want to feel his skin against mine, and I whimper softly.

“Please,” I beg, tugging gently on his shirt. “Won’t you undress?”

“Today, I think you haven’t earned that privilege. I want you to understand that you can earn a reward, but rewards are given on my terms. And you will be permitted to come—” my fur bristles in excitement, “but _only_ when I permit it. Do you understand?”

Black leather gloves skate across my chest taking the wind from my lungs, leaving me gasping for air. What is happening to me? I don’t understand.

“Please please please please please”

The words flow from my mouth in a stream of barely intelligible sounds.

“So gorgeously desperate,” the low voice whispers, and my ear is licked and nipped and teased inside his mouth and I keen with anxiety and pleasure. 

“Please take me just please...”

My back is arching against his hips, and he is hard. I haven’t been prepared—not at all—but I don’t feel I can wait. My body is hot and desperate.

“Now just relax.”

I’m on my side and my hips are drawn back suddenly, making my tail lift. With my back arched, my tail lifted, I’m basically offering myself for the taking, and I feel Rai’s heat pressing inside me. Without preparation. I should be terrified. But the feelings I’m feeling are closer to elation.

I’m begging—that impossibly full sensation squeezing inside my body as he advances, but he is slow and careful and there is no pain...

“Fuck me, please—just _please_ —”

“Such vulgar words from such lovely, innocent lips.” It’s gently, lovingly spoken—and his voice is full of heat. “Are you doing all right? Not too much pain? You handled the painful part of your punishment so well, and this is your reward.” My ass is stroked gently along with the outside rim of my entrance, stretching it gently. “Warm and willing and perfect.” 

Another nip and teasing to my ear—sending shivers down my spine. Why does every little touch make me this crazy? I almost scream from excess stimulation, a few tears slipping down my cheeks.

“Ah— _please_!”

“Do you feel like you need to sing? Get some of those feelings under control and out of this compact little body?” He runs both hands down my waist, a shudder following in their wake.

 _Sing_? His suggestion seems to echo in my ears—and without actually trying to do anything deliberately, a song bursts from my chest and races across my skin, vibrating my flesh and deep inside my bones. Rai murmurs softly in delight, and I can feel him purring and nuzzling my nape with his nose.

He’s buried himself deep inside my body—and I feel impossibly full and taken. But my body is strangely relaxed, despite my racing heartbeat and excited panting. He feels good inside me and pressed up against my back and my legs, and I feel him resting for a moment, giving me just a few minutes to adjust before he draws himself back out completely and pushes back inside, snapping at the waist. He keeps my torso completely still, however, and has one leg over the top of both of mine.

The movement pushes air from my lungs and a loud cry escapes—it sends stars sparkling against the backs of my eyelids—it didn’t feel like this the last time he fucked me. It didn’t hurt, because of my song—but it certainly didn’t feel like this!

_It’s because of the heat._

Those words ring in my head, and my eyes widen. I can’t see him, of course, since he is behind me, but they were spoken in that low, purring voice—directly in my head. How could I hear it?

_You’re singing—it allows our connection. I can hear you, too. It feels good, doesn’t it? I love watching you indulge._

He is changing the angle slightly and then brushes against that sensitive spot inside me—and I feel that magical, falling sensation. I just allow myself to indulge freely—I don’t resist this time—and I am awfully close to climax.

In fact, I allow my own hands to slide down my body to my belly and below, but they are stopped, grabbed, and moved back up toward my chest.

“Mmm, _no_ ,” whispers Rai. I can hear him smirking. “You should wait for me, I think.”

I want to come! This is unfair and bordering on torture! I growl softly.

“I’m not torturing you, kitten,” Rai murmurs in my ear, nipping the tip as he continues to thrust against that sensitive spot inside my body. “You just need to be patient and wait for your master.”

When he says the word “master,” something changes inside my heart. I relax again—allowing myself to simply indulge in these feelings. It feels like time stops or slows down. I can hear my heart thumping regularly in my ears, my fur bristled—and a wonderful, satisfying feeling courses through my limbs—like that relaxed feeling I get just after a climax. It’s the strangest thing. Did I just submit my will to the silver cat? Is that why I feel like this? It feels good!

My arms relax, and his hands wrap around my chest, stroking me gently, holding me securely but not too tight—as though I am something precious. I can feel the leather of his pants sticking to the sweat on my legs and ass as his skin meets mine and pulls away—and I simply wait. The longer I wait, the more my fur bristles and the more intense this feeling becomes. It’s as if I’ve become another creature.

I’ve always been independent—I’ve haven’t relied on another cat since Mom passed away when I was five. But now, I am leaving my pleasure and my pain and all my needs up to this silver cat. I should hate it—the feeling of submission—and I don’t. It’s… freeing. I feel such a sense of relief to not be responsible for my own needs, and I feel like I am flying. It’s so weird.

The fur on my tail completely bristles—and my song continues, though it has changed. From a desperate pleading melody to a gentle, clear, trusting song. It doesn’t make sense, really. I have no reason to trust this cat. He spanks me, for gods’ sake! How could I explain that? And worse—I _enjoy_ it—I enjoy how he controls me—my emotions, my body, my response.

Rai’s pace suddenly becomes a little more intense. He doesn’t speed up so much as he becomes more deliberate in how he drags his cock against my insides. It makes me shiver with delight. And he draws my ear into his mouth, sucking at it, nipping at it, delving deep inside with his tongue. One of his hands pets the fur on my tail, and I feel the fur sticking to the leather, and it makes me quiver. He reaches around my waist— _finally_ —and grasps my cock with his other hand. Feeling the soft leather against my dick—I look down—and the sight is such an amazing turn-on I almost climax right then.

Another vulgar moan escapes my lips when he rolls the head of my cock between his thumb and forefinger, and I shiver. I feel at his mercy—completely at his mercy—and that is what my song says.

_I am yours. You have conquered me, subjugated me. Do with me whatever you like. Please!_

 I’m not even begging for mercy at this point anymore. I just want him to touch me.

“You feel so good,” I gasp, trying to catch my breath. But I don’t beg for release. I just wait—in this strange little space of submission—just waiting for his permission. It feels safe and weirdly comfortable.

“Come for me, then, little Sanga.” His voice enters my ear—dripping deep inside, since his tongue is already grooming me, his teeth grazing the shell and pulling at the fur. I feel like I am completely surrounded by him—by his scent, by his touch.

I close my eyes and let myself fall into bliss. I’m swept away and my vision immediately blanches white, and I shiver and my body jerks suddenly. I’m held so securely, though, that my ribs don’t move and there is no risk to my injuries. I clench up my insides around Rai’s cock as pleasure overtakes me, and I gasp and sigh and purr and moan—and I don’t realize how much noise I’m making.

I hear Rai chuckling softly, but he follows shortly after, a few short stuttering gasps giving into his own pleasure, and he rocks his hips to ride out his climax, moving us both together for just a few moments. I’m left shivering with tingling pleasure running through my limbs—my fingers and toes and lips and ears completely numb and buzzing, and I feel completely spent.

“Mmm, you did so well, kitten. You submitted yourself to me—gave yourself over to me. Such a good kitten.” He is stroking me gently, and his gloves feel cool against my skin. 

I feel close to tears for some reason—and I don’t know why. I’m not sad, but I feel confused. I’m not sure what to do. I try to take a deep breath, and a shuddering, shaking breath comes from my mouth. Rai pulls out of me, and I gasp—it feels a little strange—not having him inside me. 

I realize this was only the second time he’s fucked me—and still, it wasn’t painful. He didn't even prepare me. I wonder if I will be sore later? But the thought floats through my mind like a cloud on a windy day, and I just relax in the bed, watching as the silver cat stands up and starts cleaning me up.

My eyes are heavy, and I blink several times as I watch him, but I don’t say anything nor do I shy away. I just watch quietly. He brushes my bangs from my face and asks, “Are you feeling all right? You probably should eat something soon, but you look exhausted.”

“Mmm,” I hum softly, curling up on the bed, still facing him. “I think I need to rest.” My voice is very soft—it sounds like another cat.

“You sound so different. Did something happen?”

“Ah, n-no,” I say, slightly embarrassed, but I don’t look away. I see his gaze wander from my face to my ears. I must be blushing, since the corners of his mouth quirk up a little.

“A short rest, and then we will bring you downstairs for a meal.”

I nod. My eyes are still so heavy, but I watch him take off his gloves and slip off his pants—then he slides back into bed behind me. I can feel him grooming me gently—my ears, my cheeks, my nape. It’s an affectionate feeling rather than something charged with passion. It’s nice. My eyes burn suddenly, my vision swimming with tears, and a few slip down my cheeks, unbidden. A loud purr starts up in my throat—sticky and wet—and almost embarrassing. I yawn, hopelessly, helplessly tired—and a tiny meow slips out.

“What was that?” Rai teases, making me blush again. “You meow more than any other cat I have ever met. How old did you say you were again? You’re making me feel a little guilty!”

“I’m eighteen. How old are you?” I ask my question softly, hiding my tears and confused by them, wondering if it’s out of line.

“I’m twenty-three.”

Five years? There are only five years between us. That’s not so bad. It just seems like a lot more because of his size and level of experience in fighting and the bedroom, I guess. My fur bristles again when I remember what happened during sex—my submission. What was that? And even as I just think about it, that same feeling shows up, and I start to sort of relax into it. I don’t fight the ticklish sensations at my neck. I don’t fight the helpless feelings that come with being naked while he is dressed. I freely acknowledge the feelings of being vulnerable in front of a cat who could and can hurt me if he wanted.

He doesn’t want to, I realize. At least—not more than I want him to. Another few tears escape and slide down my cheeks. What is this?

This relationship of ours is a very strange thing. Perhaps he’s not the only strange thing about it. I’m probably equally strange for desiring such a thing as well.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a nap, Rai and Konoe get some dinner. Konoe doesn't feel like having any more magic tea and turns it into a power struggle. It turns out Rai was serious about Konoe not defying him. Like ever.
> 
> Trigger: non-consensual spanking.

After a nap, Rai wakes me up and feeds me some medicine he picked up while he was out.

“I meant to give this to you as soon as I returned, but I was slightly distracted by your disobedience,” he says quite casually.

That pleasant headspace I was in earlier—just after our last encounter—is long gone now, and I am feeling slightly awkward and ashamed. I know the mating season is upon us. I can tell by how strange I am feeling. I woke up feeling hot and bothered again—even right after that incredible sex, and sure enough, Beast Konoe has made his appearance. 

“Let’s get you dressed, go downstairs, and get some food inside you,” Rai suggests.  
  
Rai is already dressed when he pulls out a robe he's bought for me. It’s nice, actually. It looks like a kimono, and it includes a silk fabric underlayer, which he wraps me into, folding up the hem and tying it securely around my waist, and then slips the outer cotton robe over the top. The silk is a golden shade that brings out my eyes and the caramel tips of my ears and tail, and the outer robe is a textured navy blue and black, woven through with silk thread. There is a thin obi in a gold abstract pattern that he ties around my waist, and it makes me look slightly taller. 

I don’t think anyone has ever bought me anything so fine. It looks nice. He also brushes my hair and fur—including the fur on my tail—making it shiny and plush. I see my reflection in the mirror on the back of the door and I look almost exotic. I would look at me if I walked by.

“Thank you.” I keep my voice quiet—almost as though I am ashamed. I feel a little bit like I exchanged sex for this outfit, or I would if I hadn’t enjoyed it so much.

“Of course. You needed something practical to wear while your ankle is in that cast,” Rai replies. He scoops me up and carries me out of our room.

“I can walk,” I protest.

“Perhaps, but you shouldn’t.”

We both turn several heads when we enter the dining room, and Bardo is already serving dinner.

“Don’t you look pretty this evening?” Bardo coos, making me blush. “It sounds like your new master helped you out with this morning’s issues. It seems you two are working things out.”

I feel even more embarrassed now, especially when Rai just looks smug. I have _got_ to be quieter!

Bardo brings over another mug of that floral tea, and I don’t protest drinking it at first. I do notice that Rai watches the mug carefully, however, since I don’t actually drink it during the meal. Part of me is concerned that this tea is going to make that beastly side of me come out even more, and I consider discussing this. We eat our meal in relative silence, leaving us at the table with empty plates, his mug of ale and my mug of tea.

“Rai?” I ask softly when I touch the mug.

“What?” He doesn’t exactly sound like he is particularly open to new ideas at the moment. He is waiting for me to drink that tea.

“This tea—does it tend to make a cat more… amorous?” I ask, keeping my voice as low as possible.

“It may be a side effect, yes. That shouldn’t be a problem, though, if I am around.” He looks at me expectantly.

“It’s just, um, with the, er, season… I’m wondering if it’s such a good idea to add to my symptoms—”

“Are you questioning my authority?” Rai asks sharply.

I can’t help bristling my fur. _Authority_? It’s the _first_ thing he brings up?!

“Authority?” I ask quietly. I really don’t intend to start an argument. I just don’t want to be drooling all over myself like I was this morning. I’m already feeling a little weird, and I know this tea will make it even worse! There has to be an alternative—like just suffering from the pain of my broken ankle!

“Yes.” He glares down at me sharply.

“I just don’t know if it’s worth the cost!” I protest. 

“I didn’t ask your opinion. I told you to drink it. It’s for pain management. The side effects are negligible.”

“To you! I don’t _like_ feeling so out of control! This morning was awful!!” I speak a little louder than I intend, and Rai sighs, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

“Are we doing this now? _Here_?”

“You don’t _own_ me!” I growl quietly. 

“I do, in fact, own you,” Rai hisses. “As I said, you are my _bounty_. I can proceed with you as I like. And you will _obey_ me, as we agreed.”

“I never agreed to any such thing!” I say, raising my voice a little more.

“Konoe. Are you sure this is something you’d like to discuss here? In the dining room? In front of all these cats?” Rai asks, quieting his voice. “I’m happy to remind you of the conversation we had if you like. But if things get heated, it may be more comfortable for you to have this conversation in private.”

“I am _not_ your property!” I insist, and Rai’s hand shoots across the table and grabs my chin, making me shut my mouth abruptly.

“Before you make this situation worse, consider your words and your tone.”

Instead of pointing my gaze toward his face, he directs my chin to his hand, which is touching one of the belts around his waist. The claws of his fingers extend, touching the leather belt lovingly—moving across the buckle—clinking slightly against the metal. I remember the sound that belt made when he took it off not two hours earlier as he snapped it in the air. It makes my fur stand on end and sends an incredible shudder down my spine. My eyes widen in fear and I bite my lip. 

“That’s a _beautiful_ look for you. Do you have anything else you want to say now?” He prompts gently.

I shake my head.

“Drink your tea and we will continue this conversation upstairs.”

He releases my chin—and I lower my gaze, noticing several diners watching our interaction. I pull the mug closer to me and drink it. As soon as my mug is empty, I’m lifted up over Rai’s shoulder—like a bag of potatoes—and removed from the dining room.

“That was a wise decision, kitten.” He pats my ass firmly.

Rai takes large strides across the lobby and up the stairs, and I realize he’s still upset with me. 

“I _drank_ it!” I protest, my face buries in that wonderful silver hair of his, as I’m draped over his back. “I drank _all_ of the tea! What the hell is your problem?!”

He unlocks the room and sets me down on the bed gently.

“We are not finished with this conversation yet,” he growls.

“I just _asked_ about an alternative!” I whine—and my voice sounds like a child’s, pleading, begging, and desperate. “Please! And I did everything you asked!”

“That isn’t the point.” His eye is icy blue, the pupil narrowed into a slit, the fur on his tail bristled. “You defied me— _in public—_ over my _care_ of you. Konoe, you broke your leg when you _ran_ from me because you disobeyed me, and I’m _paying_ for that medication to help ease the pain of your broken bones. And yet, you have done nothing but resist—from the splint to the cast to the medication. Why is that?”

“I-i j-just d-don’t l-like the s-side e-effects?” I stammer uselessly.

“That may be. But you should be more grateful. Especially in public. I will _not_ be defied in public like that again. Strip.”

“Wh-what?” I can't believe my ears. He can't be serious!

“You heard me. _Strip_. Now.” The silver cat is leaning against the door, his hands crossed in front of his chest, his jaw set firmly, teeth clenched.

“Wh-why?” 

“You dare ask me that question?” Rai hisses, leaping toward the bed, where I am sitting, making all my fur bristle and my pupils dilate. “Yours is not to question but to obey.”

A small, frightened meow leaks from my lips—and I see his ears twitch when it comes out of my mouth. My hands move—on their own—to the obi at my waist. I lower my eyes to the floor and untie the obi, placing it on the bed. I also slide both the lovely kimono and the silk underlayer off my shoulders, laying both pieces out carefully on the bed. Several tears slip from my eyes, and my bristled tail floats up in front of my waist to cover my nudity.

“Turn around and bend over the bed. If I see your hands back here, you’ll regret it.”

I obey, another soft meow slipping from my lips, and I beg quietly.

“Please, Rai. I’m sorry,” I sob into the mattress. Even over my tears, with my ears tipped toward him, I can hear the buckle of that belt coming undone.

“You will never defy me or question me in public again.” 

“I’m sorry!” I cry softly. My chest aches strangely and I feel utterly alone. I feel like I have fucked up royally, and not just because I'm about to feel that belt on my ass. It's because his voice is so damned cold!

“You will watch your tone.”

Another meow comes out now—no words will come.

“You will not disobey me, Konoe. You are _mine_ —I saved your ass, and it is mine to do with as I like. You do _not_ get to question me.” His voice is soft and almost gentle, but firm.

My ears twitch and I am already meowing and sobbing softly when I hear the snap of the belt. It’s not nearly as loud as it was when he snapped it earlier today—he must have it folded in half—and it hits my ass squarely in the center of my cheeks, making them jiggle. It hurts—but not like the whip hurt. This hurts more because I know he is so angry with me. This punishment hurts because I _know_ I have disappointed him. 

The second and third blows crack down on my sit spot and upper thighs—both making my body nearly jump off the bed—and I cry out in pain. And my heart aches. I try to cry out in words how sorry I am—but all that comes out is that pitiful meow.

The fourth and fifth blows rain down—again on the center of my cheeks and another on my sit spot—cracking loud when they connect with my skin—and I am devastated. I don’t move from my position when he is finished, either. I almost feel like I deserve more, as though that punishment wasn't enough. I can tell he is moving in the room, and he comes to sit beside the sobbing mess of fur and tears on the bed.

I can’t speak—I am weeping and sobbing—and meowing. Words still won’t come. I am trying to plead with him, apologize, beg his forgiveness—and the words will not come. As he sits next to me, he pulls me into his lap firmly, and I melt into his arms. His jaw is still tight and his teeth are still clenched, and I am trying to apologize, but all I can do is meow.

I’m so pathetic!

He rubs my lower back in small circles and licks my ears a little roughly, letting my tears soak through the fabric of his shirt. It feels nice and it makes me purr, despite my sobs. We stay like this, my chest heaving, that strange sound leaking from my mouth over and over, and I can’t stop or catch my breath.

“You’re forgiven, kitten. Hush now. Hush. It’s enough. I’m satisfied.”

His voice seeps into my ear like honey—I _should_ say it’s like poison. But it _isn’t_ poison. I _want_ to please him. I feel _guilty_. Even just thinking about our exchange in the dining room makes me feel horrible, like a failure.

“I’m s-so s-sorry,” I whisper, as soon as I can breathe.

“Hush. I know. You’re forgiven. It’s understandable. This is all new to you.”

“N-no,” I insist. “Y-you have b-been kind to me—t-treating my p-pain when you d-didn’t have to, s-seeing to m-my c-care. I h-haven’t b-been… g-grateful.”

“I don’t want you to be grateful. I want you to be obedient,” Rai purrs low in my ear.

“I d-don’t know h-how!” I stammer, and another meow leaks out.

Rai chuckles softly.

“That is why I am training you. I don’t like to hurt you, kitten. But I need you to learn.”

“I know,” I say, breathing a defeated sigh against his chest. “I’m s-sorry.”

Rai tips my face up to his, making me meet his gaze. It doesn’t look nearly so icy or angry now. He kisses my nose, my cheeks, my chin, my lips.

“I forgive you.”  
  
“I will do better!” I blurt, and another meow slips out.

“You are doing fine.” Rai massages my ears at the base. “What’s with that little sound you keep making? Are you sure you’re eighteen? You’re making me feel awfully guilty about what I’d like to do to you.” 

“I can’t help it,” I say, embarrassed. “It just comes out.”

“Along with your tears and your purr. You should decide whether you’re going to cry or purr or meow, kitten.” My ears are groomed a little more gently now. It feels nice and I relax.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's keep in mind this fic is about Stockholm Syndrome. This is not a healthy relationship, people.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mating season is still well underway, despite Konoe's earlier defiance. He and Rai have their first make-up sex.
> 
> So--is this Stockholm Syndrome or a lonely boy who is desperate for any sort of attention whatsoever?
> 
> Consensual sex in this chapter.

After having defied Rai publicly in the dining room—and earning a punishment for disobeying him earlier this morning—I realize I’m not doing very well today. It was foolish on my part, as the heat has now fully taken over my system. My body is burning, and the tea I was given at dinner to treat the pain in my ankle has made those symptoms worse.

I feel like an absolute beast, and I don’t feel I can do anything about it or ask any favors. However, Rai's wonderful scent—fresh spring rain and leather—drifts into my nostrils and makes me purr, quickly overtaking any sense of guilt. And he is still petting me, while I am naked in his lap. He has to be feeling the same symptoms, doesn’t he?  
  
Tokino told me once about compatibility—that cats enter rut more strongly when they spend time around one another. When the mating season starts, they become irresistible to each other. Well, Rai is certainly irresistible to me. As I am being gently caressed and my ears roughly groomed, I can’t help my feelings. He has to be feeling it, too, doesn’t he? 

Subtly, I run my claws through the silky strands of hair, burying my nose in them. I also press my nose against his neck, and I feel a subtle shiver when I lick the space between his neck and his shoulder. The shiver makes my body react and my fangs bare. I feel something like a growl rising in my chest—a possessive sounding thing—which I try to suppress. It comes out as a meowing purr, and he shivers again—and that makes me meow again. 

“Those sounds from you—what is that?”

“What?” I whisper.

“Adults don’t make those sounds. Grown cats don’t meow,” he whispers softly into my ear.

“I can’t help it,” I reply. I really can’t. I don’t usually meow—but it’s a submissive sound, I think, and it comes out when I repress my desire to defend myself. “Do you dislike it?” 

There’s a short pause before he replies.

“I find it irresistible.”

His words make me shiver, and I slowly reach for the hem of his shirt. As though moving my hands slowly will make him not notice that I am trying to touch his skin, I push up his shirt very slowly and carefully, feeling the silky soft fur below his navel with my thumbs. He purrs softly and doesn’t stop my hands.

I don’t ask him for permission. Instead, I work my hands up under his shirt and pull it off over his head. It takes most of my energy to do it—and where the energy comes from is located somewhere around my hips. I lift my chin up a little to kiss his throat, his chin, and his jaw—slowly approaching his lips. I’m still sitting sideways on his lap, and I turn around to straddle him, pushing him down onto the bed. I couldn’t force him to do this, of course—but he allows it, much to my surprise.

When my mouth reaches his, I feel his lips curve up in a smile.

“Are you feeling eager again?”

“I told you,” I remind him, “I become different. Like a different cat.”

“A demanding cat? A _disobedient_ cat?”

My ears flatten suddenly, bristling in fear, and I pull away. Am I displeasing him? But he just smiles at me.

“Do you dislike this? Do you want me to stop?” I ask, still unsure of my actions, despite his expression.

“Not at all.”

I’m not sure I want another punishment—especially not one with that belt. It was incredibly painful—though not as painful as the first time he whipped me. It hurt my heart more than anything. And now, all I want is to feel connected, to feel him love me and love my body and express… what? My remorse? My dedication? Whatever these feelings I have for him. But my body is flooded with a desire that I cannot seem to suppress.

“Even after that belting you still want to touch me?” He whispers. 

It’s odd—I know. I don’t understand it myself. It’s almost  _because_ of the punishment that I want to touch him and I want him to touch me, to know that he forgives me and will accept me. Why can’t I leave him alone? Why don’t I want him to leave me alone? Wasn’t it only a few days earlier that I tried to run away?  
  
“Don’t you think you should run from me?”

“No. I’m sorry I ran. I d-didn’t know you were protecting me then. And you are looking out for me—even now. And I am terribly ungrateful.”

“Is this you, showing you are grateful?”

I stop kissing him for a moment, sitting up on his lap. I feel his erection pressing on my thighs. It’s tempting—so tempting. But is this me being grateful or thanking him? I don’t think so. This is something else. Something… a little crazier.

“I don’t think so. I _am_ grateful. But that isn’t what this is."  
  
I run my fingers down his chest, stopping at his nipples and circling them, admiring his pale skin in the low evening light of the room.

“Crazier?” He prompts me.

“Yes,” I admit it freely. “I want to be with you. I want to connect with you. I want to love you. I want you to love me.”

“Love?” Rai asks, a small puff of air coming from his mouth. “I’m a bounty hunter.” He reaches out to my waist and traces along my sides and down my hips, which curve out gently, letting his fingers spread out against my ass, brushing the welts lightly. “I just punished you. Do you think I have it in me to love anyone?” 

I shiver at the sensation of his touch. I don’t know the answer in my head—my brain tells me I am crazy for believing this—but whenever I sing to him, I can _feel_ it. I _know_ he loves me. Or he  _will_ love me.

“I do.” 

“Then perhaps you are a little more than crazy. You are a foolish cat.”  
  
“Foolish enough to be caught in your trap,” I point out, pinching his nipples between my fingers, making him hiss.

“Foolish enough to stick around after I punish you.”

“Foolish enough to _ask_ for your punishment. Or perhaps just desperate for touch,” I return softly, meeting his pale blue gaze directly. “I’m afraid you will leave me or return me to Karou. Is my bounty high?”

“A pittance. Less than the cost of that kimono and your medications.” 

My ears flatten again. He has spent more on me than the money he would have collected for my bounty? Why?

“Why, then? Why are you doing this?”

“Winters are cold, I believe I told you. And you are a nice fit.”

“And after winter is over?”  

“I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it,” he says nonchalantly, smirking slightly. I can’t tell if he’s being serious or not. 

“I’m not very obedient.”  
  
“No. You aren’t.” He reminds me by brushing the marks on my ass and thighs, making me wince. “However, obedience can be learned.”

“I’m not a fast learner.” 

“Apparently. Luckily, I am a patient teacher.” A short pause lingers in the air between us. 

“You say you don’t enjoy punishing me,” I say, letting my fingers drift to his navel, watching his stomach curve in against the bed. Is he ticklish? Even just a little? It intrigues me—that a cat so powerful might be ticklish. 

“I don’t."  
  
“So why do you punish me?” 

“To train you. You learn very well from physical punishment. And you enjoy it. You _ask_ for it.” 

I meet his gaze in response to his sharp tone. I’m a little surprised. I guess I did ask for it—but I couldn’t help needing to touch myself after all the medication I’d been given. 

“Are you saying you didn’t set me up to fail that test this morning?” I ask.

“I didn’t say that. I’m giving you what you want. What you _need_.”

I furrow my brows and turn away for a moment. _Is_ this what I want? I can’t deny it, although I definitely did not enjoy that punishment that came after defying him in the dining room.

“I did not want to spanked with your belt,” I insist.

“Then why did you defy me? You knew what would happen.”

“I didn’t!” I insist. I look back at his face now, my tone darkening to anger. I also grab the belt around his waist and unbuckle it quickly and roughly. “I was simply asking to _not_ have to ingest any additional herbs that would increase my, er, arousal.”

“And why would you do that? Publicly?”

“Because the tea was right there in front of me!” I speak in exasperation.

“You do _not_ sound contrite in the least, kitten. You sound like you would do it all over again—just the same. Do you know what that tells me?”

“What?” I ask, unable to keep a pout from my lips, yet continuing to unbutton his pants and unzip them. 

“That you knew what you were getting into from the start. That you were asking for another punishment. That you possibly bit off more than you could chew. And you were surprised at my reaction. Truthfully, I held back.”  
  
I stop my fingers for a moment and look up.

“What were you going to do?” I ask, keeping my voice quiet.

“I was planning to strip you down and belt you right there—in the dining room. I wanted to lay you out on the table and punish you in front of the cats enjoying their dinner.”

My fur bristles. I purse my lips.

“Ah, you don’t like it? You _pretend_ not to like it? You definitely would have responded.”

I get to work on his pants, pulling them off, almost as though I’m angry. I _am_ a little angry, in fact. I feel like if I strip him of his clothes I will be getting revenge somehow. 

“Why would you want to humiliate me in this way?”

“As part of your training. To teach you your place."  
  
“My _place_?”

“I _own_ you. You need to realize this— _internalize_ it. I will punish you publicly if you defy me in public again.”

A shudder crawls down my spine—but to my utter surprise, it isn’t unpleasant. It almost feels more like a promise than a threat.

“You don’t hate it, do you?” He asks.

I press my lips together and look away from his face. He nudges my chin with his fingers—lightly—urging me to meet his gaze again. I comply.

“Am I right?” He repeats the question.

“I don’t know.”

That is a lie. I _do_ know. I _don’t_ hate it. In fact, the idea he might care enough to display me and punish me in front of others is actually attractive and incredibly arousing. I’ve never had someone who cared enough about me to discipline me in the first place. It feels an awful lot like affection.

“You don’t know, or you don’t want to admit it?”

I sigh in response and continue struggling with his pants.

“I might help if you just admit it.”

My ears perk up a little, my tail fluffs out.

“Your attention— _any_ attention from you—it confuses me. I don’t know why you bother with me. Why am I worth your time and energy—and money? I’m difficult and disobedient. There’s _nothing_ special about me.”

I don’t meet his eyes when I say this, and I sound a little depressed as I speak the words.

“You are indeed something special. You are a _Sanga_ , Konoe. Additionally…” he lets his voice trail off for a moment as I let the words sink in. He doesn’t say my name very often. He calls me "kitten" a lot, but he doesn’t call my name often. When he does, it sounds awfully nice in my ears. I meet his gaze. “Additionally, I think you are quite adorable, down to those little meows that escape your lips unintentionally.” 

That makes me embarrassed and shy—although I am right in the middle of stripping off his clothes. So why _that_ should make me feel shy is beyond me.

“And _that_ makes you blush? My gods. Also, I rather like your affinity for leather.”

“Gods!” I murmur, now feeling heat flood my face and chest in addition to my ears. That is just too much. “I can’t help any of those things.”

“I know. You can’t help your voice or being adorable or being kinky. I adore it all.”

 _Adore_? That sounds like love to me. I look up at him, feeling the heat in my cheeks.

“I _knew_ it. You _do_ love me.” I smile softly. “You said so yourself.”  
  
He narrows his eye and furrows his brow. He also sits up suddenly—which frightens me at first—but he’s just helping me take off his pants and underwear. He’s getting impatient with my efforts.

“I said _adore_.”  
  
“Isn’t that the same thing? And I think you enjoy punishing me, too. Or at least you enjoy showering me with attention.”

“And so you give me ample opportunity to do just that. Just be sure you know what you’re getting into—that you’re not getting in over your head, kitten.” His fangs poke over his plush lips when he smiles. He looks utterly sexy. And very naked. 

“Hmph,” I huff.

“Get up here, then.”

He’s sitting up and urges me a little higher onto his lap, gripping my thighs firmly. I kneel over him for a moment, leaning back against his erection, letting him press against my entrance. I’m still incredibly aroused from our earlier activities, and also weirdly from that punishment. He firmly grasps my tail at the base, pulling claws through the fur, running them against the growth. Another small sigh and meow escape my lips, and I look down for a moment, a little embarrassed by my utterance. He pushes against my chin with his nose.

“Look at me.”

The commanding tone of his voice hits me like a ton of bricks—jolting my body and making it stand at attention. A shiver rushes down my spine and I straighten my back and shoulders—and I obey, feeling blood rush into my ears and cheeks. 

“You’re beautiful.” 

I want to look away, but I don’t. He relaxes his stomach muscles and leans back against the headboard, and I feel him spreading my cheeks apart, pushing me up onto my knees and back onto his cock. A heavy, melting sensation courses through my body—and I _want_ this—more than anything. I swallow thickly.

“Open your eyes.”

My lashes flutter open again—I hadn’t realized I had closed them—and my purr is thick and wet. My dick is dripping and I don’t know what to do with my hands. I touch myself—gently at first—and his eye flashes down at what I’m doing, and he smiles.

“Gorgeous.”

I feel him slipping inside me, pushing me apart, spreading me open—and he fits well, sliding right inside me. I don’t remember him using any lubrication, but I wonder if he was just already wet and dripping or if he used something while I wasn’t paying attention. I gasp at the sensations in my body as he pushes me down hard against his cock, and I allow all of this—using my bodyweight to help ease the passage. 

“Your eyes—on me,” he reminds me again, his voice almost sharp, but husky and filled with desire. He desires me—and my cock overflows with precome. I lighten my touch so I don’t come too fast.

The purr in my throat is close to a growl, and I feel my fangs peek over top my lips, and my ass is now resting on top of his thighs. He sighs softly. When he leans forward—even just enough to take my lips with his—I can’t help the gasp that escapes my lips and another helpless meow pours from my mouth right into his. I feel him smiling around my lips, and he licks the tips of my fangs.

I move my hands to his shoulders and rock my hips—both of us purring and sighing together. He feels _good_ —like he belongs inside me—and something inside my chest is coming undone.

“Open your eyes, Konoe.”

His face is much closer to mine now—and his pupil is wide. Mine must be blown as well, dark and wet. And I feel this animalistic desire building in my chest. I try to control my hips and I can’t—suddenly, I’m unable to slow down, my body starts acting on its own accord.

My breaths are coming in desperate pants—and my voice is loosened.

“Oh, gods—Rai—gods…” Over and over, I call his name—and I want to look away, and again and again, he nudges my chin with his nose, occasionally kissing me, but mostly, he keeps just far enough away from me to watch me.

My lips start to feel tingly and the tips of my ears get numb. My tail bristles and waves wantonly behind my body, and I hear a whisper—watching his lips form the words:  
  
“So sexy.”

That beast inside me—Rai is pulling it out of me—on purpose—and he’s watching it make its appearance. It frightens the hell out of me, but he desires this part of me. He _loves_ this part of me, grabbing my ass, pushing me hard against his lap...

And then, his stomach muscles contract and he thrusts up from underneath me. His legs bend at the knee, raising me up off the bed and I cry out loud in pleasure. He’s brushed that magic part deep inside of me—and I love it.

“Open your eyes, kitten.” 

The reminder comes while I hang my head to the side—indulging in excessive pleasure almost to the point of shame. No— _past_ the point of shame. And he repeats the motion.

“Let me see—let me watch—let me hear you.”

His voice is low, covered with a thick purr, and more heated than I can remember, even when he took me against my will our first night. And this is _not_ against my will. I desire him. I want him to take _all_ of me.

I want him to drag every last bit of this hedonistic beast from inside my heart and body and put him on display. I want him to see this creature I hide away from the world. I want him to pleasure me—and I want to give him the same pleasure in return.

And a part of me is terrified—terrified I will bore him at some point, that once he draws every ounce of pleasure from me, every song from my body, making every last nerve tingle, that he will discard me. 

I’ve lived alone up till now. I never minded it. I never wanted for anything else. I never wanted for company. But now, I want _him_. More than anything, I want what is inside him—this terrifying, controlling, possessive hunter who treats me like his prey—I want him to devour me.

To my utter embarrassment, the song that spills from my body expresses these feelings with more clarity than words ever could.

The warm golden glow that radiates from my skin reaches out to him and grips him, tangling around his body and holding him to me, taking his breath away—giving me power in this submission that I didn’t realize I had. It grips him like extra fingers, or tentacles—and they do not let go. They reach inside his heart, into his head and mind, and into his soul. And while everything inside me is on open display—in return, I can see inside him as well.

The connection goes in both directions. I breathe in deeply while meeting that powerful gaze of his—and I adore him.

 _I love you_.

It comes across in my song, and his white ears twitch, almost fearfully. It's as though he is afraid I will change my mind if I see what is inside of him. He is terrifying—the lust and desire are so powerful—even stronger than the beast inside me. In addition to that, he also has the desire to control me and my song, to _own_ them—and he believes he does own them—and me.

It doesn’t bother me to discover this—to know that is in his heart. To understand that he wants to own me, to control me—it’s comforting. It’s soothing—and that _should_ bother me. But it doesn’t. It feels like love to me, and like desire—and like security. 

_Don’t leave me. Don’t discard me. I will give you anything as long as you do not discard me._

My desperation comes across clearly in my song, bristling his fur. Confusion flashes across his face.

_—How can a creature as powerful as you be so frightened and insecure?—_

It’s a good question, I suppose. But I have never felt powerful. Never. I still do not feel powerful. I have felt independent, but even that, I am willing to sacrifice for the sake of security.

 _Why_? Why do I want this? What changed? Or is it just this animal instinct inside me, being taken over by the mating season that is making me feel this way, making me believe this is what I want?  
  
The rhythm of our movement matches the rhythm of the melody pouring from my body, and it isn’t long before I feel my climax approaching. My breath is close to wheezing, and I grab his hair, close to the roots, as though that is my only tether to the earth. The sinking feeling of delight that is coursing through my body with each thrust gets more intense, and I reach a point of no return.

“Your eyes. Let me see your eyes,” he whispers again—his voice breathless and ragged—and so amazingly sexy. 

My tail is grabbed again, stroked and caressed, and his other hand circles my cock, fucking it with abandon. I keep my eyes on his face when I feel my body melt into climax, struggling to keep them open when a surge of pleasure takes me over. A vulgar cry escapes my mouth, and my hips jerk, my body tightens around him inside me, and I feel him come inside me as well—and he closes his eye for a moment when he releases. His long pale lashes look plush and soft—like his fur. I pull him in close to me for a kiss while his eye is closed. 

Our tongues entwine—and it feels like our hearts are connected and beat as one for a few moments. It’s a pleasure I haven’t felt before, a connection I haven’t yet realized, and an amazing comfort. Not being alone in the world—it feels amazing. I feel like I _have_ someone, and someone has _me._  

Indulgence. Pleasure. Love. All those feelings crash through my body as a result of how our bodies are touching—as a result of what? Hormones? The season? A physical desire? What is this? If it’s all self-deception, it’s very _good_ self-deception. Very real deception.

My racing heart slows as we pull our lips apart, and my ears are gently caressed. A weighty shiver courses through my body and I exhale. I could die happy right now. I would allow Rai to do anything he liked to me right at this moment. I would submit to anything.

And I am exhausted.

Like a sand castle collapsing under a wave, my body starts to come undone and collapses under its own weight—most unexpectedly. I gasp in surprise, falling against Rai’s chest. I feel him chuckle as he catches me, stroking me gently and pulling his still-erect cock from my body. The slightly sticky feeling of his come drips between my spread thighs and I can’t do anything about it. I’m embarrassed and flustered from having put on such a show. Now feeling shy and exposed, I hide my face against his chest, flattening my blushing ears and pressing my tail down between my legs.

As though I am something fragile and precious, he pulls me down into the bed, straightening me out so I am comfortable, brushing the hair from my face, and watching my flustered reaction.

“What’s this? You’re supposed to be relaxed. Just like the rest of your body. Silly kitten.” He soothes me. “Why are you so anxious?”

“Oh—it’s nothing,” I mutter quietly.

“You aren’t acting like it’s nothing.”  
  
He _watched_ me. He is _still_ watching me. Of course, I’d be anxious and flustered by that! He saw the deepest, darkest, most secret part of me. I had it on display, like a show animal.

“Just—you were _watching_ me.”

“The eye is naturally drawn to the beautiful,” he says, chuckling softly.

“Don’t tease me!” I groan miserably. “I’m n-not as bold as you!”

“But you’re so gorgeous—when you’re at your most aroused _and_ when you’re the most embarrassed.”

I want to hide my face, but I can’t move. And he continues watching me, much to my chagrin.

“Please,” I beg.

“You are _mine_ —to proceed with as I like,” he reminds me—though not unkindly. “And this pleases me.”  
  
However, he pulls me into his arms, up against his warm chest, and starts to groom my ears. Gently, tenderly, hypnotically. I’m already so relaxed my body is paralyzed. My heart flutters around in my chest just a little—just from being so flustered. But soon, it calms and submits to this grooming as well. And I drift off to sleep, enjoying the gentle touch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was very fun to write. I hope you enjoy reading it--and yes, their relationship is very confusing.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> OK. So another addition to this triggering non-con story.
> 
> Konoe wakes up half-way through the night having to pee and suffering from serious symptoms of heat. Rai is very displeased to see Konoe on his way out of the room without specifically waking him, and Konoe is resistant. But with a broken ankle, he can't really get away. So after Rai takes him to pee, Rai works out his frustration with Konoe's disobedience and attitude in another way.
> 
> Triggers: Well, this is non-con, but from Konoe's POV, it turns con quickly.
> 
> Did I mention how much I like writing for cats? We got a new kitten, and you should read IcyTouch's latest Lamento fic called "Love Thy Neighbour" for my inspiration. (It's really nice! Way nicer than this one.) I think. :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please, please, please read the tags. This is not a fluffy fiction, nor is it in anyway consensual.

I sleep through about half the night, but in the early hours in the morning, I wake. I am still surrounded by the silver cat whose body is really hot. I feel slightly panicky when I wake—I don’t know if it’s because of the heat or something else.

My breath picks up along with my heart rate and my mind starts spinning—slowly at first, but then thoughts flood my head. My emotions are racing out of control almost enough to make me feel dizzy.

_What am I doing here and how did I end up in this place? Why am I with this cat? Why haven’t I escaped? Why do I allow him to treat me the way he treats me?_

Rai has punished me several times now and threatened to do it publicly—and that sends shivers down my spine. I don’t know if it’s fear or desire that is causing those shivers but either way, it’s disturbing. I don’t know what to do.

There is something wrong with me, I think. My brain is not functioning like a sane person's brain should function. Plus I need to pee in a bad way. I have to struggle out of the large cat’s arms to free myself, and I plan to hobble to the bathroom in my robe—the underlayer of that kimono should do nicely. I try to move Rai's arms from my body without waking him, and he sighs softly. 

I don’t think to look at him when I crawl up out of bed and limp over to the chair where I left my clothes earlier.

“Oy.”

Rai’s low voice is quiet but the suddenness frightens me and makes me bristle my fur.

“Oh, um… I was just going to the bathroom.”

“By yourself?”

I turn around to look at him, my arms already in the sleeves of the silk robe, and I’m tying it as I face him.

“Um, yes. Did I need to get your permission to pee? I didn’t want to wake you.” I can't keep a slight annoyed edge out of my tone, it seems.

“Listen,” Rai sits up in the bed and makes a sudden movement toward me. He is really fast—and the way he moves is so graceful it’s distracting. I envy it, actually.

“What?” I ask, now both startled and annoyed—as he is standing right in front of me.

“You are not to leave this room without my express permission. Don’t you remember what I told you?”

“Well, there’s no chamber pot in here. Should I piss in the corner?” I _really_ have to go and sometimes that makes me crabby. I realize after those words leave my lips that I have just done what I said I wouldn’t ever do again—just before that belt spanking. Gods!

His ears perk up and bristle and his eye narrows in the pale moonlight. I wish he didn’t look so delicious.

“What kind of tone are you taking with me?”

“Uh—um, well—I just really have to go. Bad.” It's a lame excuse.

“You are extremely stubborn, aren’t you?” Rai grabs his underwear and puts them on, then scoops me up before I can do anything else.

“Uwaa! What are you—?”

“You have to use the bathroom, don’t you? I’m taking you. We will deal with your attitude adjustment when we return,” he whispers the words into my ear, sending another shiver down my spine, which is not conducive to using the bathroom.

Once we get to the bathroom, Rai sits me down on the toilet, hiking up my robe and brushing his fingers against my ass as he does. That isn’t helping, either.

“Do you want the water running again?” 

“Um, thanks,” I say, much more politely than I spoke in the room. And I pee as soon as he turns on the faucet. I'd better apologize for my brattiness, I guess. “B-but really, I-i’m sorry. I d-didn’t mean to be s-so crabby. I, um, I just had to pee.”

“Are you trying to talk me out of your attitude adjustment?” 

“Um…” His words scare me, and I don't know how to answer that.

“I know you were awake for some time, probably worrying about something or another, before you got up.”

I bristle my fur. He _knew_ I was awake? Sometimes it feels as if he can read my mind.

“We can discuss it when we get back to the room." 

When I finish, he helps me to the sink to wash my hands and my face. The cool water feels nice on my hot skin. But I am nervous about the conversation to come—if it’s even going to _be_ a conversation.

He carries me back to the room we are sharing—and the rest of the inn is pretty quiet. I don’t hear very many loud sounds—but one of the rooms next to the bathroom isn’t silent. I can hear soft sounds and voices from behind the door—and it’s _not_ subtle, either. Gods, am I that loud, too, I wonder?

“Are you getting ideas, kitten?” Rai purrs into my ear as he opens the door to our room. He heard, too. Of course, he did. His hearing is better than mine. 

“N-no,” I deny softly. Although what I heard from behind that closed door _did_ sound enticing.

“We have some business to take care of before I can meet those needs of yours.” 

“I don’t have any pressing needs,” I insist.

“I think a little honesty would be good for you, kitten. Your body certainly states otherwise.”

Ugh—I’d forgotten how sheer the silk robe is—and that he actually sees so well in the dark. But it’s apparent he does. I can’t see in the dark anymore than I can find myself in the middle of a forest. It’s like I’m not actually Ribika at all.

I can’t suppress my irritated sigh. Rai sets me down on the chair and looks down at me, lifting up my face quite suddenly.

“Was that sigh directed toward me, too?” His voice is still even and calm, but it's scary to me now. I know he's pissed. 

“N-no,” I stammer again, trying to drop my gaze and struggling to escape the grip on my jaw.

“Based on those soft little meowing sounds that you made while indulging a few hours ago, I think I will try a different method.” His tone is firm but gentle—and that indicates to me that I don't have an escape anymore.

“W-what did I even _do_?!” I start protesting a little louder because of my fear, and that impending sense of doom I feel just before I realize he’s going to punish me rises up in my throat. “I-i said I was sorry!”

“I know you did, _kitten_ ,” and for some reason I can’t fathom he emphasizes that particular term of endearment. But soon, his right hand digs into the skin at the back of my neck, just below my hairline, and my body goes completely limp and submissive.

What the fuck is this?! 

“Hmph. It seems my assumption was correct,” he sounds thoughtful now and more than pleased with himself.

I can still move my mouth, but even my tail is no longer functioning. It lies helpless between my legs, and I cannot move my arms or my legs—nor can I struggle. This feeling is similar to what happens to me after I sing my song, but an even heavier sense of powerlessness than that.

“W-what are you d-doing to me?” I ask—and I can’t tilt my head up to meet his gaze, either. But soon, keeping his claws on my neck—and they are _drawn_ , too!—he moves me to the bed. He is gentle, but those claws are sharp. How do I not feel blood dripping down my back?! It is weird that it doesn't really hurt. Shouldn't it? 

“You _did_ grow up isolated, didn’t you, _kitten_?”

My ears twitch a little when he calls me “kitten” again. I just return his gaze, when he tips my head up to look at him, keeping his right hand clawing into the back of my neck and hum in response.

“Mmm.”

“Your mother died when you were how old?”

“I’ve been on my own since I was five,” I mutter.

“That may explain it, then. This is quite handy.”

When Rai mentions my mother, my body suddenly remembers this feeling. He is _scruffing_ me. I remember now—my mom used to pick me up this way to stop me from doing whatever I was doing in order to make me obey her by grabbing the back of my neck, just like Rai is now. But no one has done this to me since I was five! Not _ever_! Humiliation floods my body along with that nostalgic feeling—washed over with a sense of terrible helplessness—because I cannot escape this grasp. 

“Hm. It looks like you remember,” Rai purrs softly—and he is smiling that sexy smile again. 

“Let go of me,” I whisper. I mean to _shout_ this at him—but for some reason, I can’t. That helpless sensation is starting to outweigh the humiliation I’m feeling, and something else floods into my body next. Some feeling I don’t recognize comes over me—something I haven’t felt in a long, _long_ time.

“Do you have a _complaint_? I'll listen to it in a moment. I figure this will keep you compliant while I say my piece to you. Also, you may find yourself slightly more receptive to what I have to say.”

When I hear those words, they make my ears twitch again, and then they perk up toward the silver cat looking down at me. What _is_ this?? My breath is slow and even, too—though I was close to panic—it’s as though my body isn’t _allowed_ to panic. I don’t know what to expect! Rai waits another two minutes or so before he opens his mouth. 

“Do you really want me to release you? I will if you want me to.” He purrs softly into my ear and then leans in to lick it. It sounds even louder than usual, like his voice is amplified or else what he has to say is incredibly important. It's almost as though being held in this way is making me _want_ to submit to him. It’s so strange—and terrifying, too.

“No.” I am shocked by my response—but in my heart I don’t feel as though he should let me go. I want to listen to what he has to say, and I can’t take my attention off of him. Also, I want to please him more than I can ever remember wanting to please him. 

“Good kitten,” he says quietly—and a sense of strange peace, relaxation, and pleasure—deep in my soul—comes over me when I hear his soft praise. It makes me ruffle out my fur in delight. What is going on??

Rai runs his fingers through my fur as it’s so nicely presented, still smiling gently.

“I’d rather you not speak to me so disrespectfully in the future. Do you understand?”

“I understand, and I apologize,” I say—my voice is almost unrecognizable. It’s so soft and submissive and sweet—I have _never_ heard my voice sound like this. It almost sounds like it does when I sing—musical and strange. “What have you done to me?”

“You don’t remember? Probably your mother did it to you when you were very young. Scruffing you makes you more compliant and receptive to ideas. Apparently, it makes your voice sound nice, too.”

“Thank you,” I answer—inexplicably. I’m thanking him? Why? But my heart actually feels thankful—even as I’m being restrained like this. 

“Also, I want you to remain in this room unless I give you express permission to leave. Do you understand?”

“Yes.”

“Even if you think it’s a brief trip, you are not to leave this room. Especially not now, during the season.” 

He strokes my chin lightly with the hand currently making me meet his gaze. He brings his face a little closer and kisses my nose, which makes me close my eyes, then my eyelids, both cheeks, and my chin.

“Next time you disobey me, I will not hesitate to scruff you again.” His voice rumbles so nice in my ears.

“I understand, Rai. I'm sorry,” I reply ever so sweetly—again, baffling myself. But it’s as though him handling me this way is actually forcing this response. But I feel so good—I feel safe. 

“You are not to worry about your needs. That is my job. If you need something, tell me, and I will see to it.”

 When he tells me this, the words sink into my ears and directly to my heart. I want to nod my head in agreement and I can’t move. So I whisper, “Okay,” instead.

“Do you have any needs that you’d like me to take care of right now?”  
  
I do—because of the season and the fact that he has brought out the beast-like Konoe. But of course, I would _never_ actually ask for those needs to be met. And then, to my surprise, my mouth opens again.

“I want you to love me. I want you to make love to me.” The minute I hear those words—in my soft kittenish voice—my ears and face light up with heat.

“See how easy it is to be honest with your feelings, kitten?” Rai purrs happily—and his low purr incites mine as well. I feel so weird. My heart is fluttering in my chest and pulses loud in my ears.

Keeping his right hand on my nape, he uses his left hand to undress me, pulling the obi from my waist and sliding my helpless arms out of the sleeves. It feels so nice to have him touch me like this.

“Why don’t you get a little more vocal, kitten?”

And when he runs his claws up my waist and toward my nipples, I moan embarrassingly loud. I don’t know _what_ has come over me—I don’t understand it! I mean, I literally just heard that other couple and was worried about the sound of my own voice! So why am I being so loud now?! My ears are hot and my face and chest are flushed, but I can’t control my voice. Also—I am still helpless and vulnerable, unable to move. I swallow thickly and gasp again when his hands brush my abdomen.

“Rai…” His name leaks from my lips—another completely helpless sounding meow escapes as well. “Please…”

Rai looks from examining my naked body up to my face and lifts his eyebrows.

“Please—make love to me.” The desperation in my tone should be shameful, and I _am_ reacting with embarrassment. But my body burns as much as my ears and cheeks—and I can’t help myself. I don't know what has come over me.

He turns me onto my stomach, folding my legs up underneath my body—his claws still dug into my nape—but his touch is comforting now. It’s no longer frightening. Though it’s weird that I have no control of my body.

I cry out again when I feel his fingers skating down my back, but I can’t move—not even my tail. Is he going to fuck me while I’m so helpless?! I should be scared out of my wits, but all I feel is desire and need—and a sense of deep belonging.

I feel his fingers entering me—two at once—making me shiver with pleasure. I am begging—pleading—softly, sweetly, submissively, and I can’t stop my voice.

Rai’s purr deepens to a growl, and my ears twitch when I feel his cock pushing against me from behind. He lifts up my tail impatiently—which is still paralyzed and drooping helplessly—and he presses inside me—in a single slow thrust. I am completely relaxed and I feel no pain. In fact—I feel a surge of incredible lust filling my body like wildfire.

“Will you sing for me, Konoe?”

When my name spills from his lips, right into my ear—which is immediately licked—it feels so nice! It feels comfortable and like it fits— _everything_ about him fits—and my heart lifts and soars. My body immediately breaks out in a song—which shivers across my skin and makes my bones shake—and I feel my insides wrapping around him tightly. 

The song is absolutely and totally submissive—it sounds like I am dedicating my life to this cat, or as though I am offering to serve him for eternity as his slave. And strangely, it doesn’t bother me at all because Rai is holding my scruff.

I hear him sighing softly as he thrusts up inside me, aiming for my most sensitive spots—and I still cannot move. I’m even more helpless than I was when he first took my virginity, which makes me shiver. I was restrained then. But it doesn’t really bother me. I submit my body to him fully—and I am giving over the care of my person to him with my song.

When I open my eyes, I see my body is glowing like it usually does when I sing. But the light is much warmer than usual, almost gold instead of a warm white. What is this?

Shouldn’t I be bothered? Wasn’t I _just_ wondering what I was doing with him and why I hadn’t run away? And is it reasonable for me to simply comply with whatever he wants to do with me?

As I lie here, enjoying the feeling of his cock dragging across my insides, and his hips slapping up against my ass, I can’t think of any other option. I want to be here and I would die if he stopped fucking me now. 

“Come for me, then,” he whispers in my ear. And to my shock—I do. He isn’t even touching my cock. But I obey him in an instant, getting swept away by intense pleasure and lust and that same sweet submission I felt just after he punished me for touching myself.

He also comes at the same time—and it was a relatively brief encounter—but the results are the same. Relaxation courses through my body, making my spine tingle, and he pulls out of me with a quiet moan.

I also feel him finally release my nape, retracting his claws—but the sense of submission and my utter relaxation aren’t immediately affected. In fact, I almost collapse underneath him when he does, and he pulls my back up against his chest, lying on his side.

“You are perfect,” he purrs into my ear as he starts his gentle grooming.

In the back of my mind, a small worry flows into my thoughts. How loud was I? Just now? Loud enough to be heard by the other guests staying at the inn? And what exactly _was_ that? But I’m so tired and exhausted—and so relaxed and feeling so content—that the thought flows out of my mind as quickly as it flowed into it. 

“How are you feeling?” He asks softly.

“Good,” I say, but a slight feeling of uneasiness floods my body for just a moment, making a shiver course through my body embarrassingly. “Oh. Um.”

“You did very well. I’m very pleased with you,” he whispers. 

Those words sink into my heart just like the praise from his lips when he was scruffing me. It’s weird. _Why_ do I believe him? Why am I so convinced he is safe?

Fighting sleep, my thoughts are turbulent for another moment when I remember the belt spanking he gave me only a few hours ago. My butt burns and tingles when I remember. So why am I so comfortable with him now?  
  
Of course, I still can’t move. I’m exhausted from the sex and my song, and the heat from my body is cooled off, too. I’m feeling so physically satisfied that those feelings overtake my emotions and overpowers my current turbulent thoughts. And his rough tongue, grooming my ears so gently and thoroughly, is hypnotic. I drift off to sleep—without a care in the world—in his arms, purring loudly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, I'd just suggest the tag for Stockholm syndrome again. This is not consensual. I know it. And you're supposed to feel a little uncomfortable about it.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wow--a much-needed update to this (very very non-con and triggering) little fic. I've been having issues with migraines and pain the past few days, and so this is the perfect fic to update right now.
> 
> Please note: I do not condone non-con activities of any kind. Consent is *required* IRL. That being said, this is fiction. And I sure do love writing non-con fiction. If you don't enjoy reading that sort of thing, maybe skip this update.
> 
> Warning: very public and non-con belt spanking. But Konoe can't say he hadn't been warned.

I sleep well—after our interaction in the middle of the night. When I wake, however, I wake alone. Where is Rai? He hasn’t been gone long since his scent is still strong. So I get up, picking up one of his shirts and inhale deeply. It makes my body feel all warm and snuggly. I drop the shirt quickly, embarrassed that I’ve succumbed to the urge of such a thing.

The moon of light has already risen is shining softly into the room. Judging from the angle of the rays, I guess I have slept late. Perhaps the silver cat has gone out already, or more likely, is down at breakfast.

After a nice long stretch, I get up out of bed to find some clothes. I plan to go downstairs for breakfast—I’m starving—and I also need some more pain medication. I hope Rai has it with him since I can’t find it in here. Putting on a kimono is difficult. I end up leaving it long and letting it drag on the floor, wearing both layers since the one underneath is much too sheer. I tie them both casually with the obi, hoping I can manage to get downstairs alone. 

Briefly, it crosses my mind that Rai told me not to leave the room without him. He’s said it more than once. But he can’t expect me to stay in here. Not if I have to pee and I’m hungry. We’re at an _inn_ —not out in the woods crawling with bandits. And Bardo is safe. I think. Plus, Rai will be glad to see me. I have an itchy feeling in my body when I think about seeing him.

I limp over to the door and I know I shouldn’t be putting weight on my ankle, but I want to see the silver cat. Using the wall as support, I make my way to the top of the staircase. While I’m standing there, I remember the exact words Rai said to me last night:

_“Even if you think it’s a brief trip, you are not to leave this room. Especially not now, during the season.”_

But he isn’t here right now. I’m sure he’d want me to come downstairs and find him. I am slightly curious about why he made a point about the season, though. It's not like I'm particularly interested in showing off Beast Konoe to anyone else. I stop at the restroom on my way and feel much better. Sitting down at the top of the stairs, I lower myself slowly—one stair at a time. Soon I can hear the soft din of clanking dishes and quiet conversation from the dining room. Also, I can smell breakfast—and it really smells nice.

I stand up once I get downstairs, hobbling into the dining room. It’s discouraging when I don’t see Rai in there at all, and even more discouraging when the closest tables are occupied. Also, among the diners, I can’t help drawing attention to myself, and I suddenly feel self-conscious about my clothing. There is something strange in a few of the guests’ eyes—almost a predatory gaze, which makes my hair stand on end.  
  
“Good morning, kitten,” Bardo purrs softly. “You’re looking a little under the weather. I’m surprised to see you down here… by yourself. Can I help you?”

“Please,” I say—and then a quiet gasp escapes my throat when he picks me up and brings me to the table closest to the kitchen. “I meant I just wanted something to eat, my ankle is bothering me, and I’m hot and uncomfortable. I can walk on my own.” 

“I’ve never met a cat as stubborn as you,” Bardo marvels. He pulls one of the chairs closer to me after setting me down on the bench. He carefully lifts up my broken ankle to rest on the chair. “What is it that you are trying to do here? Are you _trying_ to get yourself in trouble?”  
  
“What do you mean? I can’t eat breakfast? Plus, Rai would want me to take my medicine, right?” Again, this conversation reminds me of the one I had with Rai last night about taking a piss in the corner. A small shiver creeps down my spine—like an ice cube at my nape, melting and dripping down the length of my spine to the base of my tail. He couldn’t have meant I shouldn’t come downstairs for breakfast on my own, could he?

“It’s not that,” Bardo says. “It’s just I’m sure I’ve told you—and I heard Rai tell you—to keep your foot elevated. Look at your knee and your toes!”

He pushes the hem of my kimono up almost violently—and I’m a little startled being exposed so suddenly—but he has a point. My knee is horribly swollen and my toes are as well. 

“I’ll bring you that medicinal tea with your breakfast. Doesn’t it hurt? It looks painful,” Bardo says.

“Thank you.” I think I am being very polite this morning.

Bardo disappears into the kitchen for a moment and returns with a plate. I try not to make eye contact with the other guests in the dining room—especially one particular cat who, while he is dressed in nice clothes, he looks frightening. I don’t like the way he is looking at me, as though he knows me or is appraising me. Instead, I drink the tea Bardo has brought me and concentrate my gaze on my plate. 

“Here by yourself, kitten?” I hear a voice growling low in my ear—and to my surprise, it isn’t a voice I recognize. I see a fancy pair of boots in front of me—soft brown leather—and they look brand new. It's that nicely dressed stranger.

“N-no,” I stammer quietly, ducking my head when I feel his fingers brush through the fur on my ears.

Bardo happens to see him when he comes out of the kitchen again and growls low when he notices the other cat touching me.

“Oy!” He snaps, walking up to my table. “You’ll want to step away from him.”

“Is he with you?” The stranger has a slimy voice and the way he’s touching me is really uncomfortable. He doesn’t move away from me and his hands comb through my hair.

“No. He’s with the silver-haired bounty hunter.”

The hands stop stroking my fur. Bardo continues, “Plus, as you can see, he is injured. So step away from him.”

“He can’t be _that_ injured,” the cat says, although he does step away. “I heard him last night. He has an awfully nice voice.”

Heat floods my ears at his comment—and I was, in fact, really loud. But fortunately, the stranger does return to his seat.

“I think you’re going to eat with me,” Bardo mumbles. He brings his own plate and mug and sits himself down across from me—next to the chair that is currently elevating my ankle. “I swear—you act as if you’ve never been around other cats before! I was about to bring you breakfast upstairs. There was no need to come down here.”

“I was hungry,” I say, as soon as I finish the pancakes in my mouth. I don't think Bardo needs to know I wanted to see Rai.

“Did Rai say you could leave that room?”

Angrily, I flatten my ears but don’t respond. Looking away and not meeting Bardo’s gaze or answering his question with words apparently answers it indirectly. 

“What the hell are you thinking?” Bardo asks, taking a sip from his mug. “You must be a very slow learner.”

“I was hungry,” I repeat. But before I can continue—which, why _am_ I even doing this? Who is Bardo to me? He has no say in what I can and can’t do!—I hear the door from inside the kitchen swing open and I hear a familiar voice call out for Bardo.

It can’t be—it sounds just like Tokino!

“Excuse me a second,” Bardo says, standing up.

“Wait—is that Tokino?” I ask, unable to keep the excitement out of my voice. My tail swishes back and forth and my ears perk up. 

“It’s my delivery,” Bardo replies, and Tokino's blue eyes and orange fur peek through the door.

“Konoe!? Oh, my gods—I’m so glad to see you! I was in Karou just a couple of days ago and heard there was a bounty out on you!” 

I flatten my ears again, wondering if perhaps it might not be better to keep that information to himself. I don’t know who these other guests are, after all. 

“I was so worried! I couldn’t find you and the villagers said you’d escaped. I was sure you were lost in the forest!”

“Oh, I-i’m fine,” I say, and Tokino examines me from the tips of my ears to my tail, noticing the gorgeous kimono and the cast on my foot.

“What’s happened to you?” Tokino asks, his voice serious. “Your foot—is it broken? And, um, what are you wearing?”

“I-i’m not sure where to start,” I say casting my eyes down at the plate of food in front of me. Then, Tokino comes close and hugs me, pressing his nose against my shoulder. His warmth feels nice—and he smells so good! Like a summer harvest festival or something… 

“I’m glad you’re okay,” he voice rumbles softly against my chest and I return his affectionate greeting by pressing my nose to his shoulder. “You smell different than usual.”

Suddenly, Tokino is pulled away—and a small protest comes out of his mouth when he is yanked away from me. He bristles his fur and hisses—but the growl in his throat sticks when he looks up at the cat who has handled him so roughly.

It’s _Rai_. I don't have time to even say anything. I'm relieved to see him and slightly afraid.

“What do you think you’re doing to my prey?” His voice rattles low and calm—and terrifyingly—in his throat.

Prey?! Rai just called me his _prey_ in front of my only friend! Tokino simply gazes up at him, stunned and unable to speak. 

“You have no right to touch what is mine.”

My fur bristles in spite of my fear.

“I’m not _yours_ ,” I feel the need to clarify, but that brings that icy blue gaze to rest on me.

“Are we going to do this here?” He asks softly, releasing Tokino’s scruff and focusing his attention on me.

“He’s just a friend! Remember the friend I had in Ransen I was telling you about?” 

“Do you know this cat, Konoe?” Tokino asks, keeping his voice quiet. I see his nose twitching and I wonder if he can smell Rai on me.

“Um, yes. He’s been, um, helping me,” I say uncertainly.

“It doesn’t smell like that’s _all_ he’s been doing,” Tokino mutters—almost too quietly to hear.

“Hmph.” That arrogant, possessive-sounding huff comes from Rai, who is still glaring at me. He doesn’t say anything else, but his fluffy white tail is lashing back and forth in that intimidating way. I am afraid to say more—I mean, what would I tell Tokino anyway? That in exchange for sex, this bounty hunter has decided to let me live? That he disciplines me?

“Kitten. I remember specifically telling you to stay in your room,” he purrs softly. He brushes the fur on my ears, lowering his nose to me. I see his ears twitch and he glares around the room. The stranger who was touching me earlier has finished eating his breakfast and has disappeared.

“Gods, Konoe—is he, um, a bounty hunter?” Tokino murmurs, his eyes wandering to the sword and dagger the silver cat carries and also back up to his eyepatch.

“Um…” I am not sure how to answer, but I am starting to get nervous. At the moment, I think it’s most important to placate the silver cat staring me down so intently. I’ll deal with Tokino later. “I was hungry! And Bardo made me that medicinal tea! See? I’m drinking it!” 

“He was planning to take it upstairs to you after you’d slept off last night’s _activities_ ,” Rai says, and Tokino’s eyes get wide. I look down to hide my blush. “You disobeyed my instructions. _Again_.”

“I-i w-was j-just looking for you!” I protest, fear taking over my tone.

“Kitten, you’ll want to stay out of this. Catch up with your little friend another time,” Bardo murmur to Tokino softly, putting his hand on his shoulder and urging him to step away. 

“Do you not remember me telling you to stay put?” Rai asks and he steps a little closer to me, his gaze wandering down my body. He’s probably wondering if I have anything on underneath this robe—and I wish I did. “What exactly is it going to take for my instructions to sink into your oversized ears?”

I can’t reply. I don’t know what to say—but I do indeed remember what he said he’d do the next time I disobeyed him in public. Does this count? I haven’t been terribly disrespectful—but the thought of him punishing me here, in front of Bardo and Tokino, fills me with mortification and something much hotter. It would almost be like him claiming me—showing the cats in the dining room that I am _his_.

“Have you finished your tea,” Rai says—and his voice is firm but calm. He is _telling_ me to do it, not asking if I have already.

Urgently, I pick up the mug and finish it when he asks. Setting it down on the table in front of me, I glance up at him—just barely lifting my eyes. He looks _pissed_.

“At least you’ve got your foot elevated,” he remarks, touching my toes. When I feel his fingers, my mind is blurred with the memory of him sucking on them. A shot of heat rushes up my legs, bristling out my fur and settling firmly in my hips. “I left you a note.” 

A note? My ears perk up. I didn’t see a note. Although if there were writing on it, most likely I wouldn’t have been able to read it. I kind of would rather not confess this to everyone here right now, however.

“I didn’t see it,” I say. 

“I don’t know how you missed it. It had your name on the front.”

“I didn’t see it,” I repeat—and yes, my voice sounds slightly stubborn.

Rai sighs softly, brushing his hands through my ears. When he lowers his face to lick the tip of one, he freezes.

“What happened?”

“What do you mean?” I ask softly.

“Did someone touch you while I was gone?”

“Well, um, Tokino did. He’s my friend. Is that not allowed?” I ask. Perhaps I sound slightly snarky. I neglect to mention the other guest in the dining room.

“And?”

“Um…” I don’t know what to say but my chin is nudged and I am forced to meet that lovely pale blue eye. It might be my imagination, but I see a hint of a smile tugging at the corners of Rai’s lips.

“We can do this another way, too,” Rai purrs and his claws dig into my nape. I become instantly paralyzed—my tail dropping to the floor, losing all power in my limbs. A squeaky complaint of a meow escapes my lips.

“Rai…” I whisper. I mean to yell “no!” at the top of my lungs but instead, all that comes out is my soft voice speaking his name.

He waits a few minutes—just watching me, tilting his head. Tokino must still be in the room, as is Bardo. They are also watching our interaction.

“You won’t tell me?” Rai asks, his voice very soft.

“It was another diner,” I whisper. “He came over to talk to me.”

“Just talk?”

“N-no. He touched my ears.”

“This is why I told you to stay in your room, kitten.”

My nape is released and I suddenly feel much more like myself, only slightly more relaxed. I look around the room—glancing past Tokino and Bardo—and I realize Rai has attracted a lot of attention. It seems everyone is staring now, and I become very flustered. 

“B-bardo told him I was with you and h-he left m-me alone,” I stammer. I stand up, keeping the weight off my broken ankle. This can’t be happening—what I think is about to happen can’t be about to happen!

“It seems you _do_ remember what I warned you would happen,” Rai says, a soft purr in his voice. “You seem to be slightly flustered by the attention, or is your desire getting the best of you?”

“Wh-what?” I ask. Please—he can’t be thinking of punishing me here!

I keep my eyes on his hands, which are moving to one of the belts around his hips.  
  
“Wait!” I insist, putting both my hands on his, stopping them at the buckle. “L-let m-me m-make this right!”

Taking both my hands in one of his, he smiles down at me.

“Don’t worry about it. You are about to do just that.”

“B-but n-not here!” I burst. “Please!”

“Listen,” Rai says, and his voice is still soft and calm, covered by his purr. “We talked about this. I know you are a slow learner. And I am a patient teacher. But we both know you are asking for this.”

“N-no!” I insist, but I am scruffed again, my body falling limp against the table. All I can do is quiet my voice and watch as his free hand slowly unbuckles the belt around his hips.

“This is for your own good,” he whispers.

“Please,” I beg quietly—and I can’t raise my voice. Also—I feel so weird. Like… I _want_ to comply. As though I _have_ asked for a public punishment and this is what I deserve and what I need. What is wrong with me?!

“It won’t be a long lesson, but I will make it memorable.” Rai folds the belt in half in one hand and turns my body around against the table, pushing my breakfast dishes out of the way. He lowers his lips to my ear, still holding on tight to my scruff. “Bend over, little Sanga.” 

Terror and shame flood my body in equal parts and when he loosens his hold on my neck, I can’t move for a moment.

“Hold on to the edge of the table. I don’t want to damage your hands.” Again, the words are whispered like a soft, sexy promise, and I can’t help but do as he asks. Is this the result of my fear or being scruffed? 

I feel his claws digging into my nape again, and my stomach relaxes against the table, though my claws dig into the opposite side. On my right, I see at the dining room—and all the guests watching this humiliating spectacle. On my left sit my mostly empty breakfast dishes.

“Please, I’m s-sorry,” I whisper, and a soft meow slips out of my mouth.

“I know. But not as sorry as you’re going to be,” Rai replies, still calm and soft.

He strokes my back with the hand holding the belt, trailing from my neck down my spine. I feel him grasp the hem of my robe firmly and hoist it up over my hips. All I can do in my defense is let out another squeaky meow. It sounds desperate and pleading more than it sounds afraid. Being exposed so publicly _isn’t_ what I had in mind. Worse, my head is stuck toward the dining room and I can’t turn it left. I’m watching as the diners, Bardo, and Tokino check out my newly exposed bare skin, and my ears heat up. Tears spill from my eyes.

“It’s all right. I promised you this would be quick,” Rai assures me—and I meow again in response. I don’t have the ability to form actual words. He brushes my ass and thighs ever so gently. “I’m going to release your scruff and you’re going to stay nice and still for me. All right?”

I nod my head and yet another soft meow comes out.

Somehow, my body _wants_ to comply with his commands—like it did last night when he scruffed me. I don’t understand why I don’t run! But I don’t—I can’t—I almost don’t really want to. What I _want_ to do is everything in my power to please him. So I dig my nails into the edge of the table and raise myself up on my tiptoes. 

Crack!

The belt snaps through the air, making my ears twitch and my fur bristle and tears spill from my eyes at the sound. A meowing yelp escapes my mouth as soon as it connects with my skin at the fullest part of my behind. It occurs to me that there are parts of my skin that are very, very sore—and the sting is unevenly painful and extremely precise.

Crack!

The second time, the belt snaps against the skin where my thighs and butt meet. I jump when the pain sears through my body, and a loud cry escapes from my mouth. My vision changes suddenly: colors look brighter and everything becomes oddly clear. And my sense of smell has improved, too, as Rai's powerful scent floods my nose. 

Crack!

The third blow is aimed just below the first, making pain shoot through my hips and into my tail. Am I welted from last night? Is that why this hurts so much more? Or is it because this is public and so shameful? I squeeze my eyes closed and hear the belt snap again.

Crack!

While it doesn’t hurt as much the whip hurt, this is extremely painful and embarrassing. Plus I know I have displeased my master—and my gods, _why_ am I thinking of him as my master?! A wail spills from my lips, so loud that I don’t hear the fifth snap of the belt in the air.

Crack!

This final blow is centered around the very top of my thighs, and the pain is so intense that I can’t breathe for a few seconds. I am gasping for air, my wail interrupted, tears spilling down my cheeks and onto the table. Once I catch my breath, I let out a loud cry, lying limp on the table, my tail swishing back and forth. I'm not even trying to protect myself or escape.

The soft, cool touch of a leather glove caressing me feels so nice compared to what was just done to me—I purr softly and another meow comes out through my tears. I’m fucking _purring_! During a strapping! What has he trained me to do?!

Worse still, the touch of leather is arousing and while I am bent over the table, I’m certainly not hiding anything very well. I gasp and sigh over my tears, and push my ass back into his hand. I want him to touch me _more_.

Then, my eyes open again—and I’m exhausted… and mortified. Every guest in the dining room is staring at my ass and thighs, and I feel welts rising on my skin. I burst into tears, trying to speak—trying to apologize, trying to make it right!

I don’t want Rai to be angry at me! I don’t want all these strangers to know that I failed him! My chest hurts as though my heart is physically breaking, and I still can’t form any words: only tears, sobs, and that soft mewling sound.

My robe is pulled back down and Rai gently pushes against the palms of my hands, making my claws extend more and release the table, one at a time. He strokes my ears gently, the fur of my tail, which he pulls through the back of the slit on my robe, and then he ever so gently and tenderly picks me up in his arms.

“You were very obedient, Konoe.”

He said my name! It brings more tears to my eyes.

Leaning me against his chest, he carries me from the dining room, and I don’t bother to look at everyone watching us leave. He carries me upstairs to the bedroom and sets me down gently on the bed, face down, turning my head to face him. My chest is still hitching in sobs, and I can’t speak. Only small meowing yelps are coming out.

He must have untied my sash before setting me down because he easily peels me out of the robe. I’m left naked on the bed, but I’m not feeling terribly ashamed. I think there is a maximum of how much emotion a person can feel at one time, and my shame is now depleted. His gloved hand gently trails down my lower back, touching the new welts tenderly.

Then, I feel his other hand grabbing my scruff once more, and I relax. Within a few minutes, my breathing calms, and I hitch only every other or every third breath. My tears quiet, though they don’t stop.

“Relax. You’re all right. You pleased me and you are forgiven.”

He gives me a moment to let those words sink in. Forgiven—he has forgiven me? Even though I am so disobedient? He isn’t going to leave me in the woods or bring me back to Karou? I want to ask and all that spills out of my mouth is, “Meerrrow.”

I hear a soft chuckle behind me.

“Let me treat your skin.”

He gets up from the bed, releasing me for a moment, and I feel a sudden sense of shock—and of loneliness and fear. Is he leaving me?

“D-don’t leave me,” I whisper. I am trying to beg but I can’t find my voice. “Please.”

Rai turns around and looks at me before speaking.

“I’m not going anywhere. I’m just getting some balm for your skin. This will help heal welts. I planned to use it last night but I became distracted.”

Why does he have something like that? Perhaps it has other uses, too… But it’s much more likely that he bought it specifically with me (and my ass) in mind.

My ears twitch when I hear him open the jar, I close my eyes. A cool sensation spreads across my burning hot skin when he gently rubs the balm into my welts.

“Your skin gets as delightfully pink as your ears, kitten.”

“… S-so s-sorry,” I mutter into the mattress.

“Hmm?”

“I-i’m s-so s-sorry.” My stammer comes out a little louder. “P-please f-forgive me.”

“I told you. You’re forgiven. That strapping paid for your disobedience. You did very well, kitten. I am satisfied.”

“B-but I d-don’t w-want you to leave me!” My words come out covered in fearful tears.

“Why would I leave you?” Rai hums softly, still working that balm into my ass and thighs. It feels so good. I can’t live without this tenderness. “I told you, I am an excellent teacher.”

A few more tears and another few meows slip from my lips, and Rai’s mouth touches the tips of both ears. It feels like his lips are curved up slightly. So he isn’t angry with me? 

“You are the perfect fit for me. I need you by my side to keep me warm this winter. And well, with your skin like this, you’re the perfect little heat source.”

A soft wail leaks out of my mouth—surprising me—and Rai chuckles, brushing the rest of the balm off on my legs. He caresses my hair and crouches down next to the bed.

“Look at me.” He touches my chin.

I obey. I’m afraid to disobey.

“You’re beautiful when you cry.”

A few more tears slip down my lips when he says that, but he shushes me right away, putting a finger against my lips.

“Listen. I want to make sure you understand why I punished you." 

“B-because y-you s-said you would-eow,” I whisper, unsuccessfully trying to suppress the weird, childish sounds coming out of my mouth.

“Do you understand why?” 

I glance up at him.

“I—meow—disobeyed?” I ask, still frustrated with my inability to speak properly. His fingers caress the nape of my neck again. I feel like I want him to scruff me. I might be able to understand him better if he did. And just when I think that my scruff is pinched lightly. That amazing, relaxing, safe, and soft feeling floods me, and I meow contentedly.

“You are vulnerable during the mating season,” Rai explains, stroking my ears with his other hand. “You have a strangely enticing scent—which is why that stranger accosted you. Bardo says he can smell you from the stairs. I don’t want you to be hurt or taken from me. There’s no need for you to wander around on your own. I was tending to some business and had asked Bardo to check on you and bring you breakfast.” 

The hand stroking my ears moves to my cheek. It feels so nice—like I never want to leave this place—and I hardly notice my burning ass and thighs for a moment. I purr loudly—obscenely, almost.

“There is still a bounty out on you. It’s not very high, but it makes you a target. Plus, your inexperience and youth make you appealing to many hunters. I can’t protect you if you won’t stay put when I ask.”  
  
He kisses my lips softly before continuing.

“You won’t always have to worry about this. But today, you have a broken rib, a broken ankle, and you’re at the peak of your heat with a compatible partner. Add all those things together and that makes you close to defenseless.”

He releases my scruff and then licks my ears.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper. 

“I already told you—”

“No, I mean—I didn’t _know_. You are trying to protect me. I am really a slow learner. I wanted to see you and I… well, I didn’t see your note. I can’t read very well, so even if I had seen it, I would have probably ignored it. I’ve failed you again.” Another tearful meow slips out with my words.

Rai’s face is soft, and he is smiling at me.

“Hush. Just rest for now. You are already forgiven.”

Wait a minute. Rest? What about—? 

“B-but m-my body is…”

“I know you may feel hot and uncomfortable, kitten,” Rai interrupts, stripping off his shirt and then climbing up on the bed beside me. “I’m feeling the same. But I want to just lie here next to you for a little while. Your skin is in bad shape. Let’s give you some time to recover.” 

I meow in agreement, and I snuggle up to Rai’s chest. He feels hot, too. But he smells so nice. I grab his hair in my hands and press my nose against his collarbone. He peels off his gloves and tosses them to the floor, and I feel his fingers caressing my ears, my tail, my back—just tenderly and gently.

Should I be appalled? I am, a little… but if anything, I’m more appalled by my own behavior than anything that the silver bounty hunter did to me. That freaks me out if I think about it too much—or at all—so instead, I clear my mind and listen to his heartbeat. He can groom my ears when I’m on top of him like this, and it’s kind of loud. But it feels good. And it’s distracting. So I don’t have to think anything when I’m with him like this.

I’m quickly soothed and drift off to sleep.


End file.
